Time toss
by Eva aka Pinkfox
Summary: Voldemort is up to something new. Sending our hero's trough time? Harry Potter/Star Trek:The Next Generation cross-over.
1. Arrival

**_Disclaimer:__ Star Trek: the Next Generation belongs to __Paramount__. Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. No money is being made here, and no copyright infringement is intended. However, the plot is mine_**

Time toss Eva 

Chapter 1

Arrival

_Captains__ log; Stardate 54932.1_

_"We have continuing our journey though the Balmore nebula at calm pace for the last few days. All readings have been normal…" _

That moment Captain Jean-Luc Picard was disturbed by the beeping of his com-badge. He hit his com-badge." Picard here." 

"Captain, we have some very strange readings over here. You might want to come to the bridge."  

"On my way, Number One. Picard out."       

***

"What do we have?"  Picard said directly when he entered the bridge. 

"We are receiving telemetry which is very close to the Borg Time hole. Its origin is unknown."  Data responded. 

Picard nodded and sat down in his chair. "Slow to quarter-impulse. Run a full range scan to see if we can find out where this is coming from."  

"Aye, sir."  

***

Time went by slowly. The strange telemetry was still coming in, but they weren't making any progress in finding out where it came from. 

Picard was just preparing to hit his com-badge again, when a wooing sound was heard on the bridge. Everyone looked around, trying to find out where it came from. Suddenly one of the crewmen looked up and cried: "Look." 

Riker looked up and his mouth fell open. Above him was a whirlpool of colors. Suddenly there was a bright flash a light. When everyone could see again, five human bodies were laying on the ground before him. 

***

Everyone was stunned for a minute. Deanna Troi was the first to react and went down on her knees besides the humans. 

The first was a man with shoulder length black hair and gray robes. Then there was a teenage boy with auburn hair. Another boy had black hair that was standing in every direction. The lasts were two girls. One with brown hair and the other with a long, red braid. The four teens were equal black robes.   

"Troi to Sickbay. Medical emergency on the bridge."  Then Deanna looked up at Picard. 

He raised an eyebrow and turned quickly to Data and Riker, giving order about analyzing the data from the hole. Then Beverly Crusher rushed in with her crew. 

All five were quickly loaded on anti-gravity stretchers and Deanna followed Beverly to Sickbay. 

***

"How is their status, Beverly?"  Deanna inquired softly after Doctor Crusher was finished. 

"Other then that they are unconscious, they seem to be fine. However, we found a few strange things on them." She guided Deanna to a table. There lay what seemed like five wooden sticks and four little trunks. 

Deanna looked at the objects. "What could those sticks be? Weapons? Stacks to kill vampires? Magic wands?"  

Beverly laughed, shrugged and was about to reply when Picard and Riker entered. 

"Doctor. Counselor."  The Captain acknowledged.

Beverly quickly gave a small report at his request. Picard and Riker studied the objects for a moment, before Riker turned towards Beverly again. "Can you wake them up?"  

Beverly nodded and injected the necessary hypospray's. Very soon the two boys and the girl with the brown hair started to stir. 

***

Hermione felt her head pounding. Everything was black around. She could hardly remember what had happened. She had been on the Hogwarts Express, in a compartment with Harry, Ron, Ginny and Sirius in his Padfoot form. Suddenly there had been a lot of noise, two cries of Stupefy, another strange spell and then everything had become black. 

After the pounding receded a little she opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was a gray ceiling. Slowly she turned her head, taking in her surroundings. Harry and Ron were laying left and right of her on strange kind of bed. A strange kind of bed…

Hermione sat up. "Where am I?"  Immediately she felt dizzy. Soft hands supported her and helped her to lie down again. 

"Take it easy for a moment."  She heard a female voice saying.   

***

Beverly walked over to the biobed where the girl with the brown hair lied when she sat up, fear etched in her face. Quickly she helped her to lie down again. "Take it easy for a moment."

The girl looked up at her with big brown eyes. "Where am I? Who are you?" 

"I am Doctor Crusher. You're in my sickbay." Beverly waited a few seconds, observing the girl. "Try to sit up again, but slowly." Doctor Crusher helped Hermione to sit up again, but calmly this time. 

Hermione looked around her, taking in the futuristic surroundings. Then her eyes glided to the other people in the room. The doctor seemed nice enough and another woman with dark curls was watching her. The bald man en the man with the dark hair had very strict looks on her face. 

"I am Hermione Granger." she said. Her eyes glided again around. The place didn't feel malicious or evil, but with Voldemort you couldn't be sure. She closed her eyes and reached out with her magical senses, like she had learned last year in DADA. 

***

Counselor Troi was puzzled. The girl had been afraid first, but now she seemed calm, but cautious. She didn't seem dangerous or something. 

But that changed when she felt a kind of probe going over her. It searched her for moment, then disappeared. It wasn't anything like a probe she could do herself. 

Then her attention was diverted from a scream from the boy with the dark hair. "Voldemort!!!" 

***

Hermiones eyes snapped open when she heard Harry scream. She hadden't sensed anything evil or dark magic. 

She simply slit of the bed she was sitting on and walked over to the bed where her friend was sitting up. "Harry." Her friend looked over to her. 

"Mione? What happened?" Then he looked around. "Where are we?"  

"I don't know. But Voldemort isn't here. I couldn't find anything evil." she said softly. Then their attention was diverted again by Ron who sat up with a shocked look on his face. 

***

The four adults let the teens talking for a few moments. Finally Hermione looked at them again, followed by the two boys. "Where are we? Who are you?" 

Deanna answered. "I am Deanna Troi. That is Captain Picard, Doctor Crusher and Will Riker. Who are you?" 

"My name is Harry Potter." 

"I am Ron Weasley." Rons looks glided to Doctor Crusher who was at Ginny's side. Then to the other side where Sirius lied. "Why haven't they woken up yet?" 

"I am not sure, Mr. Weasley." Doctor Crusher replied.   

Hermione bit on her lip and looked thoughtful for a moment. Then something came up to here. She slit of Ron's bed and walked over to Sirius. There lifted his eyelids and turned back to her friends. "He's stunned." Then she walked over to Ginny and did the same. "Ginny too." 

Then turned towards the adults. "Did you find some… objects on us?"

"We did." Doctor Crusher pointed to the table where the sticks and the mini-trunks were. Hermione strode over and picked up one of the sticks. She pointed it to Ginny and said: "Enervate." She did the same with Sirius. 

Striding back to the table she picked up the other sticks and handed one each to Ron and Harry. 

***

Will Riker looked in surprise how the girl walked over to both unconscious people, and then how she took one of the sticks, pointed at the people and said something. 

He was even more surprised when both started to stir. Looking over at Picard, Beverly and Deanna he saw the same astounded looks. 

They were startled by another shouted: "Harry." 

***

Harry looked up when he heard his name being shouted. He saw Sirius sitting up, looking around franticly. 

"Sirius, calm down. I am here." Harry was by his side in a few steps and grabbed his hand. 

"Harry… I thought… Voldemort was there and…" Sirius still looked frantic. 

Harry hopped besides him on the bed. "I am fine. See for yourself." 

"I thought… I couldn't stand the thought of losing you after James and Lily…"  

"I know, Sirius. But you know, Voldemort has tried to get me before, but that isn't so easy." Harry said. 

Sirius hugged Harry and Harry returned the hug. After they let go, Sirius looked around. "Where are we?" he asked.

"That's what I would like to know." A female voice behind them said. Everyone turned around to see Ginny looking around, supporting herself on one arm. 

"Ginny! Are you okay?" 

"I am fine, Ron. Just a bit confused about where we are." 

"Maybe we can shed some light on that subject." A British voice behind them said. 

Sirius looked towards Picard. "Who are you?" 

Captain Picard quickly introduced himself, Will, Deanna and Beverly. After that Ginny and Sirius introduced themselves. 

***

"We are in space!?" That was Ron, after Captain Picard had told where they were. 

"Yes, you are in space." 

"Well, if we are in space, I think it's safe to say that we aren't in the year 1996 anymore." Hermione said. 

"You are right. This is the year 2376. 1 September in your data to be precise." Riker stated.

Sirius, Ron, Ginny and Harry were dead silent after that. Hermione looked thoughtful. "Well, Voldemort must have sent us forward in time." she said.

"Voldemort? You have used that name a few times before. Who is that?" Deanna asked. 

"That is a very long story. It also involves who and what we are." Harry said.

"Captain, maybe it's an idea to continue in the staff room? That might be a little bit more comfortable." Deanna suggested.

"Good idea." Captain Picard invited them to follow him. Hermione handed Ginny and Sirius their wands and the four teens grabbed their mini-trunks.


	2. Explanations and a tour

Chapter 2

Explanations and a tour

They entered the observation lounge and most people took a seat. Ron however made his way to the window and looked out. Shaking his head he sat down besides his sister. Just after he sat down two more men entered and took their places. 

Captain Picard took the word. "Thank you for joining us. These are Mr. Data and Mr. LaForge. To our guests, would you please explain who you are and how you came here?"

Harry spoke first. "I am Harry Potter. How we ended up here, I don't know, except that Voldemort something has to do with that. We were on the Hogwarts Express on our way to school when we were attacked. We defended ourselves, but then everything because black and we woke up here." 

"And you were attacked by this Voldemort person? Who is that?" Will Riker asked. 

"It was Voldemort. It's an evil wizard." Ginny said. 

The crew of the Enterprise glanced at each other. "I am sorry. Did you say wizard?" 

"Yes, she said wizard. Ginny and I are witches and Ron, Harry and Sirius are wizards. The school we go to is Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry." Hermione said. 

Will laughed. "And those sticks were your wands? Yeah right?" 

"They are. Perhaps we should give a demonstration." Sirius suggested. 

The five looked at each other. Ginny took out her wand and stood up. She placed her mini-trunk on the ground, pointed her wand at it and said: "Engorgio." The trunk grew back to its normal size. She waited a few moments, then shrunk it back it old size. 

Then Ron stood up and pointed his wand at his chair. Ron murmured something and the chair turned in a pig. The pig ran around a bit before Ron turned it back. 

Hermione then pointed her wand at Ginny and said: "Wingardium Leviosa." Ginny slowly raised in the air and floated there for a few moments before Hermione broke the spell. 

Sirius stood up and said: "Orchidea." Flowers sprung from his wand and he took them. After tucking his wand away, he handed them with a small bow to Counselor Troi who was sitting besides him. 

Harry shook his head, leaned towards Sirius and whispered: "Do you always have to play the ladies man?" Then he stood up and walked over to the empty space. "Expecto Patronum." The silver stag emerged from his wand, looked around for a Dementor and them turned back to its creator. Harry reached out to touch it, but the moment he was about to touch it the stag disappeared. 

***

After their demonstration the five explained who they were and where they came from. They included some of Harry's history, some of Sirius being on the run and a little bit about the Order of the Phoenix. When they were finished it is was silent. 

"I must admit: it sounds like a fairytale." Captain Picard said. 

"It might sound like a fairytale, but they are speaking the truth, Captain." Deanna replied. 

"I have a question. Miss Granger, what did you do to wake Mr. Black and Miss Weasley?" Beverly was the next to speak. 

"They were stunned. It's a spell that only can be countered with 'Enervate'. That's what I did." Hermione explained. Hermione stood up and moved to the open space. Then she looked at Ron. 

Ron looked at her for a few seconds, then pulled out his wand again and pointed it at Hermione. A second after 'Stupify' sounded Hermione lay unconscious on the ground. Harry stood up, also pointed his wand and said: "Enervate." 

Hermione opened her eyes and Harry helped her up. "Very useful spell if you have to catch dark wizards." Harry said and sat down besides Sirius. 

"Miss Granger, before your friends woke up you did some kind of probe. What was that?" Deanna asked. 

Hermione regarded Deanna for a few seconds. "You sensed it? Normally muggles can't sense it." 

"Muggles?"

"Non-magical humans." 

"Then it might be that I am not completely human. I am half Betazoïd, an alien race." Deanna suggested. 

"It's possible. What I did was basically reaching out with my magical senses, searching if there was any dark magic around here. I came up clean. I learned it last year in DADA." Hermione explained.

Ginny, who had been silent for the most of the time, suddenly spoke up. "But I am also wondering something. How are we gonna get back?"   

"I don't know, Ginny. I think Dumbledore and the other members of the Order will find a way. And we can look from here." Sirius said. 

"And in the meantime we will also look for a way to recreate the gateway. Counselor, will you please escort our guests to the guest quarters?" Captain Picard said. 

Deanna nodded and stood up, the two witches and three wizards following her example and quickly leaving the room. 

***

"Mr. Data, I want you to research the database about anything in relation to magic or the wizarding world. Mr. LaForge, please take a look at the telemetry from the wormhole and see if you can find out anything about its origin." Picard ordered after Deanna and the guests had left. 

Both men nodded and left the room to start their work. Picard turned towards Will, Beverly and the chief of security, lieutenant Tarzar. "Lieutenant, do you think they will pose any security threats?" 

"I don't think so, sir. They could do some impressive things with their wands, but I don't believe that 's their intention to do damage." 

"I share his opinion, Captain. And I believe that Counselor Troi would agree also." Beverly said. 

Picard nodded. "I am going to contact Starfleet Command. Number one, you have the bridge." Picard stood up. "You're dismissed. 

Everyone left the room. 

***

Deanna led the quintet trough the hallway's to the guest quarters. She stopped by one of the doors and opened it. She walked inside and gestured them to follow. 

The quarters looked quite good. In the middle of the chamber stood a couch with a table and some other chairs around it. Under one of the windows stood a desk with a computer terminal. In the other corner was a dining set. On one side of the rooms were two similar doors as the ones they came in trough.  

Deanna sat down and gestured the other to do the same. "These are the quarters for Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter. The one next door are for you Mr. Black and the following is for the ladies. They all have the same layout, so I think I can explain some things just in here." 

"This is the living room. You can order foot by the replicator. Just say what you want. The same goes for clothing and any other objects you may need. The computer arranges everything around here. If it's too warm or you want to change the level of illumination, just say it to the computer."

Then she stood up and walked to the door. "Here is the bad room and here is the bed room. I will leave to settle in for a little while. Then I will come back for to give you the grand tour. I will show you around the ship. Mr. Black, Miss Granger, Miss Weasley, if you come with me." 

The girls and Sirius followed Deanna, while Ron and Harry explored around a little. 

***

Deanna showed the girls and Sirius their quarters and then left them to settle in. 

Harry and Ron placed their trunks in the bedroom by the foot end and enlarged them. Harry then dug though the trunk, grabbed some clothing and changed into some normal muggle clothing, placing his wand in a thin holster on his belt. Ron seemed to have the same idea.  

Soon some kind of bell rang and Harry called: "Come in." Ginny and Hermione entered and sat down on the couch. Both had obviously had the same ideas for the fact that Hermione wore a jeans skirt and a green blouse, while Ginny wore a simple yellow dress. Both had their wands in a holster on their left fore arms. 

The four sat down on the couch and chairs. 

"Well, there we are." Ron said. 

"This is the most be bizarre thing that Voldemort pulled on me till now." Harry said. 

"You can say that. But are we ever gonna get home?" Ginny said in a small voice. 

Hermione placed her arm around the girls' shoulders. "I am sure Dumbledore can find a way to trace us. And they seem to have some quite impressive stuff here. Perhaps they can get us home. I just hope we don't miss too much from school."

Ron groaned. "Mione, is school all you can think about?"

"Well, we have NEWT's next year. I think I am just gonna start studying something on my own. We have our books here, so…" Hermione stated. 

"Maybe isn't that such a bad idea, Hermione. We have to do something over here and I think there are some things I can help you with." Sirius stated who just entered. 

"And that comes from you?" Harry said surprised. 

"Why shouldn't we do that, Harry? We have to face it. We will probably be here for quite some time. We can better find some things to keep us busy. And don't mean stuff like History of Magic. I am thinking more of dueling, DADA and what you want to practice." Sirius said while he sat down. 

"Probably you're right, but I don't want to think about it yet. If we must spent so much time here, I want to get familiar with the ship first." Harry replied. 'And now he has to play the responsible adult.' he thought sarcastically.  

Ginny got a small smile on her face. "Well, there are a few good things. We won't have to worry about Voldemort attacking anymore for a while. And… Sirius, Harry, you can finally spent some normal time together without worrying for the ministry." 

"About the last thing you're probably right. But Voldemort sent us here. I don't think he's gonna leave us alone…" 

***

Deanna stood outside the quarters of Ron and Harry, trying to get an image of the feelings of the people inside. The bonds between them were very close. Smiling in herself, she rang the chime and soon the door opened. 

Walking inside, she saw the five people sitting together and they looked like they had been discussing things. She also noted all had changed from their robes to casual clothing. 

"Have a seat, Counselor." Harry said, standing up. 

"Thank you, Mr. Potter."  Deanna sat down. "I wanted to ask if you are ready for the big tour."

"When you are ready to go, Counselor." 

"I think I can give these to you now."  Deanna took out a small box and inside were five com-badges. "These are com-badges. You can use them to contact each other."  She dealt them out and the five pinned them to their shirts. 

Deanna answered some questions they had and then lead them outside, to the hallways to start the tour. 

***

"This is the Holodeck. Here you can create any environment you can think off. It's used for relaxation very often, but also for studies, research and other more serious features."  Deanna explained. "Computer, run program Troi-16-home." 

Ginny jumped a little when everything around her shimmered and suddenly they found themselves in a beautiful garden. 

Hermione also looked around. "This is a computer program?" she asked. At Deanna's nod she got a thoughtful look on her face. "That means it's programmed, made before by someone. I believe that not everyone is able to program things like this. How do you do that while making personal programs?"  

"Environments can be described, created and saved. You will also be able to do that. Persons are different matters. But I will give you a list with normal programs that are accessible for everyone." 

Hermione nodded and walked further into the garden and sat down. She looked around her, enjoying the rest around her.  She was startled when suddenly someone was standing behind her. She looked up to see Deanna standing behind her. 

"Are you ready to continue?"  

Hermione smiled a sad smile and stood up. "I am."  She walked besides the woman, back to the others. 

"You were very sad just before. May I ask where you were thinking about?"  

Hermione startled from the voice. "Just thinking about my school. That little piece of garden looks exactly like my favorite spot at Hogwarts." Suddenly she stopped for a second. She was feeling something. Something like a probe. Dismissing it as nothing she continued to walk further.               

***

They ended their tour in Ten Forward. The six of them had taken a table and Guinan had come over to take the orders for drinks. Deanna quickly introduced them to each other and then Guinan left to fetch one coffee, four pumpkin juices and a hot chocolate.

Ron was looking around. He hadn't noticed it when he came in, but now he calmly sat, he noticed that there were some people present who didn't look completely human. "Are those … aliens?" he blurted out. 

Deanna nodded. "That's right."  

"Are they all from the same planet?"  

"Of course not. We have several 'aliens' serving on our ship. The most of them are Vulcans. You can recognize them at their pointed ears." 

Guinan returned with the drinks while Deanna told some more about the different species on board the Enterprise. 

Hermione listened interested, taking notes in her mind and reminding herself that it might be a good idea to find out some more information about this subject. Suddenly that feeling was there again. Something was probing her. She closed her eyes and reached out with her own senses, trying to figure out where it came from. 

It wasn't one of her friends keeping an eye out. That was the first thing she could disconcert. She searched a little further and realized it was Deanna. But she also realized it wasn't like her own probe or those of her friends. She then pulled back, reminding herself that the Counselor had felt her earlier probing in Sickbay. She would find it out later. 

***

After enjoying their drinks and some supper they went on their way again. They managed to find their own way back, although Deanna walked with them to prevent getting lost. Arrived by the doors, everyone said goodnight and headed into their own quarters. 

On the last moment Hermione turned around, facing Deanna. "Counselor, would you mind coming inside for a moment. I have a few things I would like to ask." 

"Of course."  Deanna followed Hermione inside. 

Hermione turned around to face Deanna, noticing that Ginny had disappeared in the bedroom. She scrutinized Deanna and closed her eyes for a second. Deanna started to feel very uncomfortable. 

Hermione opened her eyes again; scrutinized Deanna again for a moment and suddenly her wand was out, pointed firmly at Deanna. "Why are you probing us whole the time?" she demanded.  

"Where are you talking about?" Deanna was confused at first, but then it clicked. "Please sit down. I will explain it." 

Hermione gestured her to walk over to the couch, then followed with her wand still firmly pointed. She sat down also. 

Ginny suddenly emerged from the bedroom. "Hermione..." Then she noticed Hermiones wand out. A second later Deanna had two wands trained on her. "What's going on?" She walked over to Hermione and stood behind her. 

"I told I was half-human, half Betazoïd. Betazoïds are a species which is empathic and telepathic. Because I am of mixed blood I am only emphatic. I can sense your emotions. I don't probe willingly; it's something I can't turn of completely. That's the probe you were sensing." 

Both girls slowly lowered her wands and placed them again in the holsters. Ginny sat down besides Hermione. 

"I am sorry, Counselor. But I had to know."  Hermione said. 

"It's okay, Hermione. But why didn't you just ask it?" Deanna forced herself to relax. 

"We are at war in my world, Counselor. Last year Ginny was kidnapped. I am part of The Order of the Phoenix, a group who fights Voldemort. It's a reflex."         

"Are you also part of this Order, Ginny?" 

"I am not. But since I have been kidnapped, I have been receiving some extra training. But excuse me, counselor, I am going to get some rest." Ginny stood up and went back to the bed room. 

The counselor also stood up. "I have to go now. Have a pleasant evening."


	3. Day ritm

Chapter 3

Day ritm

The whole summer had been already very disturbed. Daily messages had come in about actions of the Death Eaters, but Fudge still tried to keep everything as quiet as he could. 

For Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny had it been a very disturbed year already. Ginny had been kidnapped at the start of the trio's fifth year and although she had been freed, it had strengthened the realization that Harry and everyone who was close to him was in a very dangerous position. 

Ginny had been freed by the newly assembled Order of the Phoenix and Harry, Ron and Hermione. The trio's unwanted aid by the action had prompted Dumbledore in initiating them in The Order of the Phoenix, realizing that they better could be in the group, fully informed, instead of them making plans on their own and putting themselves in more danger then necessary. 

Harry, Ron and Hermione hadn't been in the middle of actions, but their input in the planning and research was invaluable. Harry's sometimes very unorthodox and heroic ideas, Hermione's intelligence and skills at research and Ron's knack for strategy were well known in the group now. 

Them being initiated had also resulted in extra training in magic by several members the Order, making that their abilities grew very quickly. Training in dueling was only one part of it. 

Ginny also knew a lot about the order, although she wasn't a member. She wasn't the only one from the students that knew of the trio's membership, but the others didn't know who the other members were and received no special training. Thinking about Ginny Sirius turned on his other side. 

Ginny had also realized that she was in lot of danger and she felt that her abilities and knowledge weren't strong enough. Especially after she was kidnapped. There for, shortly after she was freed she had gone to Dumbledore and had asked for extra training. It had cost Ginny some time, some extremely convincing speeches and the trio backing her up, but at the end she gotten what she wanted and joined Harry, Ron and Hermione. 

Hermione and Remus had been working with her too, trying to close the gaps in the knowledge between the fourth and fifth years in the area's they studied. And Ginny, already one of the best students of her year, had thrown herself on the studies with full energy, making her quickly the best student of her year. 

Sirius himself personally thought that she would make a good member of the Order. She had already faced Voldemort in the form of Tom Riddle and now last year with the kidnapping she had faced the Dark Lord again, managing to fight of the Imperius Curse without any training. 

Finally the tumbling thoughts wouldn't leave him alone and Sirius decided to get up. 

***

"No!!! You won't use me against Harry. Get out of my head!" 

Hermione woke up from the cries coming from the other side of the room. Ginny was trashing around in her bed. Hermione quickly stood up and walked over to the other side. She had known from Ginny's roommates that she had nightmares now and then. 

Arrived by Ginny's bedside she shook the girl a bit. When she didn't react, Hermione gave a firmer shake. Suddenly Ginny flew up, eyes wide open and panting slightly. 

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked. "What were you dreaming about?" 

Ginny looked at Hermione and slowly her breath returned to normal. "About the kidnapping… That's all." 

"I think it's little bit more then that, Ginny. You woke me up and you were trashing around in your bed."

"It's nothing, Mione." Ginny looked at the clock. "It's almost eight o'clock. I am gonna get dressed." With this Ginny climbed out of the bed, effectively ending the conversation. 

Hermione looked after for a second, sighed and then moved to get dressed herself. 

***

"Ron, wake up. Ron! Wake up!"

"Hmprf." Ron turned on this other side. "Lemme sleep." 

"Ron, it's eight o'clock. We're meeting everyone in a half hour for breakfast." Harry said. 

Ron simply pulled the pillow over his head. Harry shook his head and sighed. He removed his wand from the holster on his belt and pointed it under the pillow. "Fluvius." 

Ron shot up, sputtering out water. "Was that necessary?" he sputtered. 

Harry pointed his wand at the bed and quickly dried everything. Putting his wand away he said: "Yes, it was. Knowing how long it usually takes for you to get ready." 

Ron climbed out of bed and went over to his trunk, removing some cloths. Harry also went over to his trunk, removed a book and went to the living area. 

When Ron finally emerged fifteen minutes later, Harry was nestled comfortably on the couch with the book in his lap. When Ron entered he looked up. 

"Finally ready?" 

"I am. What were you reading?"

"Advanced dueling. Come, let's go to Sirius." Harry stood up, closed his book with a little paper at the place where he was and headed out to door, Ron following. 

***

Harry and Ron arrived at the door at the same time as Hermione and Ginny. The two of them were speaking softly, but they seemed to have a disagreement. 

When they arrived Hermione looked at the two boys and smiled. "Good morning. How did you manage to get Ron out of bed in time?" 

Ron grumbled something.

"What did you say?" 

"With his wand and the 'Fluvius' spell." Ron said, this time understandable.

The other three laughed and then Harry spoke. "Mione, Gin, where were you are talking about?" 

Hermione wanted to say something, but Ginny interrupted her. "Nothing." Then she turned towards the door and rang the chime. Immediately the door opened and Ginny headed inside. 

Harry and Ron looked at Hermione who sighed and also headed inside. Both boy's shrugged and followed the two girls. 

***

Sirius looked up when the chime rang and he called: "Open."

The door opened and the four came inside. A small smile appeared on his face as he observed them. They had changed a lot since he first had met them.

Harry had grown quite a bit and was almost as tall as himself now. His hair was still the same, happily standing to all sides, but his face had lost the roundness, making him even more looking like James. He was still a bit skinny, but you could see the muscles from the Order training. 

Ron had grown even more and towered a few inches over Sirius. His color of his hair had settled in a dark auburn color and he hadn't only grown in the length. He had broad shoulders and broad arms now. Also his face had become much sharper, giving him a more mature outlook.

Hermiones hair wasn't bushy anymore. She had let it grow and it fell down in soft curls now. She had grown two or three inches and her figure had very clear feminine forms. Her face had lost all traces of baby fat and her sharp features brought out her huge, chocolate-brown eyes. 

Even Ginny had changed a lot in the year he had known her. She had grown a lot and had long arms and legs. She had also decided to let her hair grow and now it nearly fell to her waist, although she wore usually it in a long braid or pinned up in a neat bun. And you could see the feminine figures in her body. 

But what had changed most were their minds. All four had lost their innocence and their eyes held the look of older men and women. They were much more cautious and even in their sleep they were alert. Sirius knew that each one of them had occasionally nightmares about the events in the past.

Sirius was startled when Harry sat down next to him, the other three sitting on the opposite side. He decided to leave his musings the musings for now. 

***

"Did you have plans already for today?" Sirius asked. Everyone had ordered their favorite breakfast and they were enjoying their meal. 

"Not much." Ron and Harry both answered at the same time. 

"I am going to explore the ship a little bit more." Ginny said. "Otherwise nothing." 

"Studying and I wanted to search on the computer about some of the alien cultures Counselor Troi told us about." Hermione told. "But I think we will have a meeting with Captain Picard and everyone else today."

"How about we see if we can find an empty Holodeck and practice some dueling?" Sirius suggested. 

"Good idea. I was just reading in 'Advanced Dueling', while waiting for Ron to get ready. I saw a charm I would like to try out." Harry said. 

"Sounds fine to me." The others also agreed and after they were finished Sirius went to fetch his wand. 

***

The five walked trough the hallways toward the Holodecks. They got some looks from the crewmembers, especially Sirius, Harry and Ron who still wore their wands at a holster on their belts. Ginny and Hermione just had them concealed in their arm holsters. 

They didn't care about it. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny often got looks at Hogwarts while Sirius also wasn't unfamiliar with stares. And Deanna had informed them that an announcement would be made to everyone on the vessel. 

Suddenly some girls around the age of nine, ten came towards them. They looked a bit nervous, but one stepped forward a few moments later. It was a girl with dark braids. "Can you really do magic and spells and tricks?" 

Ron looked down at the girl and grinned. "Yeah, we can."

"Can we see?" the girl asked. 

Ron looked at the others and they nodded. Then he turned back to the girl. "I will show you something, but only this time." Ron pulled his wand from his holster and said: "Orchidea." 

A number of flowers emerged from his wand and he handed them each girl a flower. They smiled and murmured thanks. Then the kids went on their way and the quintet continued their way to the Holodecks.

***

Inside the Holodeck Sirius managed to create an area. It was just a circle, about 20 feet wide. 

Sirius and Ron went first against each other. Both bowed and then circled each other. Ron was the first one to let a curse fly: "Expelliarmus." Sirius jumped out of the way and immediately returned with the same spell. Ron just stepped aside in time and the battle was on. Curses flew back and forth. 

Harry, Ginny and Hermione looked from outside the ring, closely observing the actions of both Ron and Sirius. The duel was ended when a "Stupefy" from Sirius caught Ron and Ron sank unconscious to the ground.

Sirius revived Ron and when he was on his feet again, both bowed. Hermione, Ginny and Harry walked over to them and they sat down on the floor to discuss the duel. 

"Ron, I noticed that you used a shield against disarming the most time." Hermione commented. "I think you maybe did that too often. In a real fight it can take too much magical energy to do that continuously." 

Ron agreed with her and they finished discussing the duel. Then the males left the arena and Hermione faced of against Ginny. 

Ginny was what behind them in dueling charms and this summer she had practiced a lot to overcome the so-called 'confusing' charms. And although Hermione used other charms, it was not a surprise for the boys that she focused on the confusing charms. And Ginny's training had obviously paid of, because in the end she faked if she was very affected and disarmed Hermione. 

***

They dueled a few times more, in different combinations. Sirius also managed to stun Ginny, but Hermione caught him with 'Petrificus Totalus'. Ron managed to best both Hermione and Harry, but Ginny disarmed him. Finally they decided they were up to the last duel and the only ones left were Sirius and Harry. 

Both went into the area and bowed. Harry was the first one to let a curse fly. "Locomoter mortis." This was obviously not what Sirius had expected and he fell flat on his face. Then Harry hit him with a tickling charm and also undoing his first charm. Harry continued irking Sirius by hitting him with small, annoying charms and undoing them also. 

Sirius occasionally shot a 'Stupefy' or an 'Expelliarmus', but Harry deflected them with a shield. Suddenly Harry stopped firing the small curses and shouted: "Deslavo." A ball of blue light left his wand and hit Sirius. Then the ball exploded, knocking Sirius back a few paces. 

Harry waited till Sirius recovered, in the meantime softly muttering: "Defendo circulaire." Sirius was soon back on his feet and released a number of curses on Harry. Harry's shield absorbed them all. 

Sirius stopped for a moment, wondering why Harry didn't curse back. This was the moment Harry had been waiting for. He pointed his wand at Sirius and said: "Release." A multicolored beam of light left his wand, hitting Sirius a second later. 

The effect was spectacular. Sirius went flying back, hitting the wall and slumped on to the ground, while Harry caught his wand. The four teens went over Sirius, who was still slumped unconscious on the ground. 

Ginny pulled her wand out, quickly muttering: "Finite Incantatum. Enervate." 

Sirius groaned and opened his eyes. "Did anyone catch the number of that bus?" 

Harry and Hermione grinned, Ron and Ginny looked confused. Hermione quickly explained it to both of them, while Harry gave Sirius a hand up. 

"Where did you hit me with, Harry?" Sirius asked, rubbing his head. "Ouch." 

"Defendo circulaire. I saw it in 'Advanced Dueling' this morning and decided to try it out. You hurt your head?"

"Just a bump." 

Ginny heard this and walked over. "Crouch down." she ordered.

"Ginny, it's nothing." Sirius protested. 

"Are you studying healing or I? Now, crouch down." Ginny gave Sirius a glare that reminded Harry strongly of Molly Weasley. 

Sirius also knew this glare and sighed. The he crouched down, allowing Ginny to check his head. Ginny prodded for moment, then pulled her wand out and muttered a healing charm. 

"Thanks, Gin. I don't know what you think, but I have had enough dueling for the moment." Sirius said. 

The others agreed and made their way back to the guest quarters.

***

They enjoyed their lunch in Ten Forward. People still glanced at them and Hermione drew some looks from young male ensigns. Ron grumbled when he noticed this. 

After lunch they went back to their quarters. Not wanting to split up, most got something to do from their quarters and gathered again in Sirius' quarters. 

Hermione and Ginny sat down on the couch, studying a book about the Dark Arts. Harry had his Firebolt on his lap, polishing the handle. Ron and Sirius were playing a game of Wizard Chess. They didn't talk much, just enjoyed each others company.

***

Ginny was walking around the ship, trying to find out where she had ended up now. She had been on her way to Ten Forward, but somehow she had taken the wrong turn. She was looking around where to head know when she heard a familiar voice. 

"Got lost?" Doctor Crusher asked her. 

"Oh, hello. Yeah, kinda." Ginny replied.

"If you get lost, you can also use the computer for help." Beverly said. 

"You're right. I think it will take a while for I get used to muggle contraptions." Ginny said. 

"Well, I am on my way to sickbay. Do you think you can find your way from there?" 

"I think so." Ginny said. 

"Well, come with me then." 

***

"Familiar?" 

"Yeah, I think so." Ginny replied. 

"Okay. See you later." Beverly entered Sickbay, Ginny heading in the direction of Ten Forward.

When Ginny was hallway's further, suddenly a swarm of children surrounded her. They were all asking questions and begging her to do magic. Ginny answered a few questions, politely refused to do magic and tried to find a way to get out of her. 

"Kids, I am sorry. I would like to talk sometimes, but I have to talk to Doctor Crusher. Maybe until later." With that Ginny pushed her way out of the crowd and went into the direction of Sickbay. 

She went inside, finally loosing the kids that had been following her. Doctor Crusher looked up from where she was arranging things of a tray. "Can I help you? Got lost again?"

"No. Trying to escape. A crowd of children was asking me question and begging me to do magic. Was funny for a few moments, but not anymore." Ginny explained, while she walked over to Doctor Crusher.

Beverly laughed. "We could have expected sometimes like this. If you wait for a few moments, I will walk to your quarters." 

"Thanks." Ginny studied the tray for few moments. "Are these medical instruments?" 

"They are." 

"What do they do each?" 

"You are interested in medicine?" Beverly asked surprised. 

"I have been studying healing magic for more than a year now. Harry and his company often feel the need to act heroic. And they don't always come out unscathed. And although Madam Pomfrey patches them up most of the time, they don't like going to her with small things. So I usually patch up the little things and bigger things they have to take to Madam Pomfrey. And they know that if it's necessary I drag them to the hospital wing by their ears." 

Beverly laughed and since it was calm in Sickbay she started explaining some of the devices to Ginny. 

***

The others were still together. Ron and Sirius were busy with their third game of chess, Sirius having lost the previous two. Harry was still busy with his Firebolt and Hermione was behind the computer, looking up information about the alien cultures the counselor had told about.

They were startled when the chime rang. Sirius ordered the computer to open the door, showing Deanna in front of the door. 

"Come in, Counselor." Harry put his broom aside and stood up to welcome Deanna. "What can we do for you?" 

"Nothing special, Harry. I just wanted to inform you that the Captain had requested your presence at the meeting in an hour." Deanna said. 

"Of course. We will be there." Ron said. 

"And what do you think about everything so far?" Deanna asked. 

"I like it here. Especially these replitorca's are handy thingies." Ron said. 

"Replicators, Ron." Hermione called from behind her computer. 

Deanna now looked in the direction of the girl. "What are you searching?" 

"Just reading some about all those alien cultures. It's fascinating." Hermione replied. 

"You can put Mione in a damp, dirty prison cell with every kind of vermin know to man with Draco Malfoy as cellmate and she would be happy as long as she has 'Hogwarts: a History' or another thick text with her." Ron grumbled. 

Sirius and Harry smiled. "Ron!!!" came from behind the computer. "I will get you for that one time." 

This time Ron, Harry and Sirius burst out laughing. Even Deanna smiled. There came no reply from behind the computer, except that… Ron, Harry and Sirius suddenly had pink hair. 

Deanna laughed this time out loud. The boy's were silent for a second, then burst out laughing again. Hermione canceled the spell a few minutes later. Then she left the computer and joined Sirius and Ron on the couch. 

"How long will that broom handle take to polish, Harry? You have been busy for over two hours…" 

"Mione, I haven't been able to fly on it this whole summer. I need to keep him in a good condition." Harry replied. 

Deanna looked interested. "Do you really fly on those?" 

"Indeed we do." Harry stood up and demonstrated it with a small round flying in the chamber. 

"Harry, might I borrow your broom for a second?" Sirius asked suddenly. 

Harry looked him. "Sure. But for what?" 

"You will see." 

Harry handed the broom to Sirius, who went over to open space before the door. "Counselor, would you come here please?" 

Deanna stood up and went over to him. Sirius mounted the broom, then turned towards Deanna. "Just put your leg over the handle and sit before me." 

Deanna did so. The trio looked on with doubt in their eyes. Sirius made sure that he held the broom and Deanna securely. 

"Ready?" At Deanna's nod, Sirius called: "Computer, open doors." 

And the moment the door opened, Sirius pushed of and raced out the door, Deanna shrieking in front of him. Harry, Ron and Hermione looked shocked for a second, then raced after them. 

"SIRIUS!!!" 

***

Beverly and Ginny walked out of Sickbay. Ginny had picked up what Beverly told her very quickly and had tried out the tricorder and the dermal regenerator. Ginny had also explained some of the wizard ways and demonstrated a few small healing spells. 

They just wanted to turn when something shot past them. Both diving aside it took few moments for Ginny to recognize what was going on. 

Beverly stared down the hallway. "What the hell was that?" 

"That was Sirius Black on a broom. And somehow he managed to get Counselor Troi on it too." Ginny said and turned around when she heard running footsteps behind her.

Harry, Ron and Hermione stopped besides Beverly and Ginny. 

Ginny turned immediately to Harry. "Has your godfather lost his mind?" 

"I don't know, Gin. But let's go after him…" Harry said and ran further, the others, inclusive Beverly following. 

***

Finally they managed to catch up with Sirius and Deanna. They were standing at the end of a hallway. Sirius was grinning madly, holding the Firebolt. Deanna was leaning against the wall, looking a bit pale.

Harry grabbed the Firebolt from Sirius, shook his head and started to inspect the broom. Ron joined him. 

"Are you nuts, Sirius? You can't just go fly around the ship. You almost hit several people!" Hermione said.

And while Harry and Ron checked the Firebolt and Hermione continued to tell Sirius off, Ginny and Beverly turned towards Deanna.

"You okay, Deanna?" Beverly asked, looking over her carefully.

"Just a little wobbly. Whoa, that was intense." Deanna replied. 

Ginny turned around and glared at Sirius. He didn't notice it, since Hermione was still busy. Harry and Ron joined them. 

"Sorry for that. I believe I need to have a little chat with my godfather." Harry said, also turning to glare. Which Sirius still didn't notice. 

"It's okay, Harry. I believe Hermione is doing that for you already." Deanna said. The color had returned to her face and she wasn't leaning on the wall anymore. She studied the duo for a moments "Harry, I believe that perhaps you should go and save your godfather. And it's time for that meeting." 

Everyone looked, seeing Hermione poking her finger in Sirius chest. Harry sighed and stepped towards them. "I think its okay now, Mione. Besides, we have to go to a meeting." 

Hermione glared at him, sighed and grumbled some, glared at Sirius and marched in the direction of the meeting room. Ginny, Beverly, Deanna and Ron followed her. 

Sirius wanted to follow, but Harry grabbed his arm. "Sirius." 

"Yes, Harry?" 

"Next time use your own broom." 

***

Harry and his group were the last to enter. Everyone quickly took a place. 

Captain Picard welcomed everyone and then gave the word to Data, who had been doing a lot of research. 

"I have analyzed the readings of the wormhole. While the readings are familiar for us, I must also say that the configurations of the wormhole are so that we can't expect to recreate it anytime soon. I have also been doing research on the wizard world in our century, but I haven't found any information in reference to the wizard world." 

It was silent while this new information sunk in. 

"Well, this means it's for sure that we will be staying her for while." Ginny then said. 

"I have been discussing this with Starfleet Headquarters on Earth. We have given orders to continue our mission, but also that we have try to find a way to return our guests. When we reach Earth again and they haven't been able to return home they will given help to get to know our world completely." Picard said. 

"That answers what we have to do if we are stuck her." Hermione said. 

"I agree with that, Captain, but are also steps being taken at Earth to find out if there is something of the wizarding world left?" Deanna asked. 

"They are going to research this. Also they are going to look for way's to recreate to wormhole." Picard replied. 

Deanna nodded. 

"Captain, I would like to suggest something." 

"Go ahead, Doctor." 

"We should send a message to the teachers that they say to the children that they mustn't ambush our guests in the hallways. Miss Weasley here fled in Sickbay after being confronted with a group of twenty children." 

"Counselor, please see to it that it arranged." 

They discussed some other things and the meeting was over. 


	4. Back home

Authors note: I don't know anything that is gonna happen in the Order of the Phoenix. I am waiting just as anxiously like the rest of you for the book. I am just using my artistic license and some rumors to guess what could happen.  

Chapter four

Back home

"They are what?!" 

"Calm down, Remus. With this we don't reach anything."  Dumbledore said calmly. 

"Albus? What's going on?" Minerva McGonagall said from by the door. 

"Please it down, Minerva. You are the last to join us."  

Minerva walked over to her place at the long table. They were in a large room. On the wall hung forest green hangings, embroidered with golden phoenixes. In the middle of the room was a large table, surrounded with twenty chairs. Dumbledore sat in the one on the head. Besides Minerva's chair, seven other chairs were empty. 

"You have all heard about the fact that Voldemort attacked the Hogwarts Express today. And undoubtly some of you know already that Harry Potter, Ron and Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger and Sirius Black are missing."  

This caused some whispers around the table. 

"Mara and Arabella are checking out the train, to see if we can determine what happened. Severus is busy with something similar." 

Suddenly the doors opened and Severus Snape and a woman with long brown hair walked in. Nodding to Dumbledore they took their seats on the table. 

"What did you find out?" 

"There are residual traces of temperal energy in their compartment. My guess is that Voldemort send them somewhere in time. Mara is still there, trying to determine what spell was used."  Arabella Figg reported. 

"Albus, in Malfoy Manor there was a celebration this evening. The Dark Lord has left to defeat The-Boy-Who-Lived. I couldn't find out where he was, but I suppose he went after our missing people." Severus Snape reported. 

"For we can act, we need to determine which spell was used. I will return to feast, breaking the news to the students. Arthur, Bill, Charlie, I know this is hard for you, but we might need very soon. Minerva, for now, ask one of Harry's class to assist the remaining prefects now that four of them are missing." Dumbledore ordered. 

"Professeur Dumbledore, in mon country I know a man, monsieur de Temps, who iz a specialist in temporal spells. I could leave 'Ogwarts tonight, enlisting hiz aide." Fleur Delacour suggested. 

"Very well. Do that. We meet tomorrow morning at ten again." Dumbledore ended the meeting. One by one the people left the room, leaving Dumbledore, MacGonagall, Remus and Snape standing. They glanced at each other and went then to the Great Hall.

***

"Hello everyone, welcome back for a new year of school. I am afraid that I directly have to start this with very unpleasant new. You all know the Express was attacked today. But I have to tell you that Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron and Ginny Weasley are missing." 

The Great Hall exploded in shouts, people discussing and people guessing. Dumbledore tried to get their attention. Finally he shot a number of sparks from his wand, quieting the students. 

"If any of you has something to say or ask, come to the teachers tomorrow. But for now, it's time to eat." 

***

"Monsieur De Temps?"  Fleur walked into the shop. 

"Oui?" An elderly man with white hair appeared from behind a curtain. He looked surprised, when he recognized Fleur. "Ma petite Fleur? Tu habites en Angleterre. Et tu es ici?"

"Je sais ça. Mais je suis ici pour demander votre aide. Harry Potter et ses amis avent disparu. Vous-Savez-Qui et his Mangemorts sont le problem." Fleur explained.

"Et avec magie de temps, ma petite?" 

"Qui."

"Nous allons." Monsieur De Temps said. With that both dissappereated. 

***

"What happened?" Molly Weasley screeched. 

"They disappeared trough time." Arthur repeated. 

Molly sank down on a chair. "How did this happen?" 

"We don't know, Mum. Voldemort attacked the train. But also Padfoot is with them. They are not alone. And one of us is getting a specialist in France." 

"Molly?" sounded a voice from the side.

Molly looked up. "Albus? What are you doing here?" 

"Molly, I understand you're distraught. Remind yourself, the children are more powerful and more trained then any kids their age. And like Bill said, Padfoot is also with them. He might be a bit hot headed occasionally, but he is an Auror and he knows very well how to fight." Dumbledore said. 

Molly just sunk on a chair, shaking her head. 

***

It was very silent in the Gryffindor common room. People were talking softly about the news. Fred and George were missing, being picked up by Charlie to go home. 

In one corner five sixteen year old people were gathered. It were Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, Neville Longbottem, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan. The classmates of the infamous trio.

Suddenly the portrait hole opened and Professor McGonagall came in. She looked around the common room and when she spotted the five she walked over to them. "I need to speak to the five of you in my office." she said. 

The five looked at each other and followed the Professor. Arrived at the office McGonagall pointed them their chairs and sat down behind her desk. 

 "You have heard about the disappearance of Mr. Potter, Mr and Miss Weasley and Miss Granger. Since they are all prefects we are a bit short-handed in that department. Professor Dumbledore has asked me to ask two of you to assist and become temporary prefects. One boy, one girl. It's up to you to decide who." 

Neville was the first to speak. "I don't think I am cut out to be a prefect." 

"Me neither." Lavender spoke then. 

McGonagall looked at Parvati. "Miss Patil?" 

Parvati nodded and Dean and Seamus looked at each other. 

"I will take the job also, Professor." Dean said. 

"Very well. Miss, Patil, Mr Thomas, here are your badges. Go to Miss Chang tomorrow. She will explain your duties and everything else." She handed the badges and the five Gryffindors trouped out the office. 

***

"Mara?" 

Mara looked up from her work to see Dumbledore standing there with an older man. 

"Yes, Professor?"

"This is Monsieur le Temps. He will assist you."

"Bonjour, monsieur. Je m'appelle Mara des-Aints. Je suis une amie de Fleur." Mara spoke in her first language. 

"Bonjour, mademoiselle." Monsieur le Temps said. 

Dumbledore left the two to do their work. 

***

"Crucio." 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH."

Ron woke up from the sound coming from the other side of his room. Looking around his he saw Harry lying on his bed. He was curled up, pressing his hands against his scar. 

Ron stoop, quickly walking over to Harry's bed. Placing his hand on Harry's shoulder he tried to sooth him a bit. A few minutes later Sirius hurried in, followed by both girls. 

Ron looked up. "It's his scar again." 

Sirius sat down on the bed besides Ron and pulled Harry on his lap, hugging him. Ron sat down on his on bed, joined by both girls. 

After a few minutes the screaming stopped. "Ron, Mione, Gin, go to the living room. I can handle it here." Sirius said. 

The three hesitated, then went on. 

***

The five Gryffindors walked quietly through the hallways back to the Gryffindor tower. Suddenly Dean stopped in his tracks and gestured the others to do the same. 

"It's a shame I couldn't be their tonight. Our master finally made a good strike. And a shame I couldn't accompany him." 

"What…" Lavender started to say, but Dean gestured her to be silent. 

"Finally we are rid of Potty boy, the two Weasels and Mudblood Granger…" 

"Malfoy." Parvati hissed. "They are talking about Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny." 

"I know." Dean said. The others saw that he had his wand out. The others did the same and followed him around the corner.

"You're coming with us now, Malfoy. You're gonna have a little chat with one of the professors." Dean stated. 

Malfoy whipped around. "So, the classmates of the Potty boy want to play tuff." He moved for his wand too. 

"Don't even think about it, ferret." Dean snapped. 

A second later Malfoy and his two sidekicks Crabbe and Goyle had their wands out. 

"Expelliarmus." sounded from five voices. 

Suddenly Malfoy had to duck for wands who came flying by his head and Crabbe and Goyle laid flat out on the ground. 

Malfoy actually managed to hit Neville with the stunning curse, before four angry voices cried the same curse. Malfoy went down with a thud. 

The four remaining standing people acted quickly. Lavender pocketed three wands, revived Neville and helped him up. Seamus and Parvati had Malfoy's sidekicks under shot, while Dean murmured: "Mobilicorpus." 

The group walked back to professor McGonagall's office. Dean opened the door. "Professor, I have a few people over here who like have a chat with you." 

***

A few minutes after Harry stopped screaming, he relaxed slowly and Sirius saw two green eyes looking back at him. 

"How are you feeling, Harry?" Sirius asked. 

"Okay." 

"What did you see?" 

"They were putting Mara under Cruciatus. Then I woke up." 

Sirius didn't know directly what to say. Both stayed in silence for a while. 

Sirius was studying Harry's face. His scar was angry red and swollen. Suddenly he noticed the tears flowing over Harry's cheek. "Harry, what's wrong?" 

"What?" 

"You have tears flowing over your cheeks. What's wrong?" 

"Nothing." 

"Harry, unlike Snape likes to think, I am not stupid. And I cannot help you if don't tell me what's wrong." Sirius said. 

Harry remained silent for a while. "How many people have to suffer because of me? Don't you think it's enough?" he said finally. 

"Harry, what are you talking about?" 

"I am talking about Cedric, Sirius. My parents, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and now Mara And you, everyone else in the Order… Cedric was killed because of me. Ron, Mione and Gin have been danger thousands of times because of me. You're still putting yourself in danger because of me. And if I hadn't helped to revive Voldemort, the Order wouldn't have to called together and…"

"Harry, stop this right now. It's not your fault Cedric was killed. It was Voldemort. The same goes for your parents. And Mione, Ron, Gin, I and everyone else in the order… we all know the dangers and we choose to take these risks." 

"I know that in my mind, Sirius. But why is my heart telling me different then?" 

"I don't know that, Harry. You will have to look in your own heart. But you're not alone. Me, Ron, Mione, Gin, we are all here for you." 

"Thanks, Sirius."

"Don't worry about it, kiddo. But what about if we go out to living room for a moment? Mione, Gin and Ron are there and I think they are worried sick." 

Harry nodded and stood up. Sirius handed him a robe and together they walked out to the living room. 

***

Inside not only Hermione, Ginny and Ron were waiting. Counselor Troi and Beverly Crusher were sitting with them. Ginny seemed to be explaining something while Ron and Hermione seemed to be bickering. 

As soon as Hermione spotted them, she stood up. "Harry! Are you okay?" 

Harry and Sirius walked around the couch and sat down. "I am fine, Mione. Counselor, Doctor, what are you doing here?" Harry said. 

"Let's say that I sensed you. We just came to check if everything was okay. Ginny explained everything already." Deanna said. 

"What was wrong, Harry?" Ginny asked. 

"Someone was putting Mara under Cruciatus. Someone who was linked with Voldemort." he said. 

Ginny, Ron and Hermione looked shocked. Deanna and Beverly looked confused. Sirius caught the look. 

"Mara is one of the Order of the Phoenix. She is quite close in age with the kids here. Cruciatus is the pain curse. If you put it on someone, you feel terrible pain. If you are under it to long, you can become crazy or even die." he explained softly. 

Sirius looked around again. He noticed that everyone's eyes were dropping. "Mione, Gin, go back to your room. You look ready to fall asleep. Ron, you also go to bed. I will stay here for a moment with Harry." 

It took some convincing, but finally they went to bed. Deanna and Beverly also excused themselves. Harry and Sirius sat there for while longer until Harry felt asleep. Sirius lifted him, put him to bed and then laid down on the couch, falling in light sleep.  


	5. Dementora

Chapter five

Dementora

"You know, you surprise me, Jean-Luc." 

Jean-Luc Picard looked up from his breakfast. "How so, Beverly?" 

"The way you are dealing with our guests. To be honest, you're not exactly a champion with kids or even teenagers. And yet, you seem not have any trouble with dealing with them."  Beverly explained. 

Jean-Luc thought that for a few moments. "That might because they didn't seem like children or even teenagers to me. I have seen it before. The latest time being on Bajor, just after the Cardassians left."

"I have seen it on the most tried planets. The kids don't have the time to be kids. And although I don't believe that's exactly the case with our guests, it's clear to me that they have seen and done a lot of things they shouldn't have to see or do… You know I have been spending some time with Miss Weasley every day. And she has told me quite some things about the events that take place in her world. It isn't pretty." 

"Deanna told me about Miss Granger's reaction to Deanna's empathy. She said something about being at war. And if I understood it correctly, they are in the middle of it."  

"Yeah. A few nights ago Mr. Potter had a dream. He is linked with that dark wizard. When he woke up, he was in pain. Bad enough to give Deanna a big headache. And they believe that their opponents might have some tricks up their sleeve."

"We will have to wait…"

***

"SIRIUS LEE BLACK. RONALD WEASLEY. Get your butts over here!!!" 

Harry poked his head around the corner to see where all the commotion was all about. He had to keep himself in check when a hilarious site greeted him. 

Outside in the hallway, stood Hermione, Ginny, Beverly and Deanna. All were soaking wet. Hermione was looking furious, Ginny looked annoyed and the two officers were looking between being angry or laughing. 

Harry let out a snort, causing Hermione to turn towards him. "Harry, where is your damn godfather and your best friend?"  

Harry emerged totally from his quarters and walked over to them. "I don't know, Mione."  he said. 

"Grrrr." 

"Computer, location of Sirius Black and Ron Weasley." Beverly said. 

"Sirius Black and Ron Weasley are in Ten Forward." the computer warbled back.

Hermione turned around and marched of to Ten Forward, still soaking wet. 

Harry and Ginny looked at each other. "Oh oh." Ginny snorted.

"They are in for it now."  Harry said. He quickly pulled out his wand, casting drying spell the remaining soaked females and hurried after Hermione, Ginny following just as quickly. 

Beverly and Deanna looked at each other and also decided to follow. 

***

"SIRIUS LEE BLACK. RONALD WEASLEY. You stupid immature gits. Are you also gonna act like that if Voldemort walks in over here? Or at Hogwarts? Are you also gonna drop buckets of cold water over him then?" Hermione started as soon as she entered Ten Forward. 

Sirius and Ron looked up from their game of wizard's chess. "What happened to you, Hermione?" Ron asked. 

"Don't pretend like you don't know what happened, Ronald Weasley. Your bucket of ice cold water happened." 

Ron glanced at Sirius, who had a blank look on his face, but his eyes were sparkling. "Mione, I didn't do anything. I think you should ask that dog on the other side of the table."  

Hermione glanced over her shoulder, to find that the other had arrived already. "Counselor, is he speaking the truth?" 

Deanna scrutinised Ron for a second, then nodded towards Hermione.

Ginny simply stepped towards her, wand out and muttered the same spell Harry had used.    

"Thanks Gin." Hermione said and then turned towards Sirius. "I don't get how you ever did become an Auror. Or even how you survived after managing that little trick…"

A soft blipping interrupted her. "All senior staff to their posts. We are entering orbit." sounded from Deanna's and Beverly's com-badges.

Hermione wanted to continue her tirade to Sirius, but Harry intervened. "Let's continue this in private." Suddenly a stab of pain shot through his scar. "And we need to talk." 

***

"Then tell me how this is possible, Harry. You're scar only hurts when Voldemort is close by or when he is having very murderous thoughts. And the last are usually accompanied with visions." Sirius exclaimed. 

"If Voldemort is close by, my scar would continue hurting. Mione, do you have an idea what's going on?" 

"I don't know, Harry… Wait… how does your scar react when you're close to very powerful magic of Voldemort?" Hermione said. 

"It had twitched once, but I haven't much experience in that area." Harry spoke. 

"Let's just prepare in case for the worst. Wands on and some practical clothing seems like a good idea." Ron suggested. 

"That seems me the best too." Ginny had been very silent until then. 

The others agreed and headed out to change. 

***

Fifteen minutes later they had met again in Sirius his quarters. Harry, Hermione, Ron and Sirius were dressed in their order clothes; loose night blue trousers, white tunics held together by belts and forest green robes which could be worn closed or open. They were hooded. Ginny was dressed in exactly the same outfit, but the forest green was night blue. All five wore black leather boots. Hermione and Ginny had pulled their hair back in braid. 

Their wands were in wand holsters on their left hip and a dagger in holster on their right hip. And each of them carried an own weapon. Harry carried the Gryffindor sword; Hermione carried a magically collapsed boo-staff; Ginny carried a holster of arrows and a magically collapsed bow and Ron wore a small axe. Sirius also had a sword.      

"Did your scar hurt again?" Ginny asked. 

"Nothing." 

***

They spent quite some time talking. But it was a forced conversation. 

Suddenly Harry's scar burned again. He hissed and grabbed his scar. But before anyone had a chance to say something a familiar cold washed over them. 

"Are you thinking what I am thinking?" Ginny said. 

"We have to get to the bridge. Now." Ron said.

"Wait. They are not here on the ship. Then we would have felt more effects than the cold." Hermione said. 

"Doesn't matter. We have to get to the bridge." 

The five ran out of the door, robes billowing behind them. 

***

Some crewmembers looked weird at the three wizards and two witches running by, robes billowing out behind them. 

A few seconds later they arrived at the turbo lift. They entered and normally they couldn't reach the bridge, but Hermione pulled her wand out and muttered some kind of spell. 

The lift started to rise. 

Ron looked at Hermione. "Which spell was that?" 

"Something I made myself. It just takes away some enclosures around technology." she explained softly. 

The computer signalled they had arrived on the bridge and the doors opened. When they entered they were greeted by very surprised faces. 

***

Jean-Luc Picard looked at their magical guests. Something was going on, but it wasn't very clear what. "What are you doing here?" 

The five didn't answer, but stared at the viewing screen. Hermione and Ginny looked shocked, Ron and Harry looked grim and Sirius' look was one of pure hate. 

"What's going on?" he demanded again. 

Hermione turned towards him. "Have sent people down?" 

Jean-Luc felt her penetrating gaze. "Yes. But…" 

"Pull them away now. Those creatures are Dementors. Not very pleasant ones…" Harry said. 

A fresh wave of cold flooded over them. Harry faintly heard screams in the back of this head. Then he noticed the blue haze among the Dementors and twelve people appeared. He turned back to the captain again. "Pull them away now. These creatures suck away all your happy memories." 

Jean-Luc hit his com-badge. "Picard here. Get the away team back now." 

Two minutes later a reply came back. "Impossible, sir." 

Sirius turned towards him. "Beam Harry, Mione and Ron and me down. We can keep the Dementors away from them long enough to get your people back." 

"Sirius…" Ginny hissed. 

Hermione turned towards her. "Gin, someone has to stay here to tell what to do with the after effects. You are the best in the medical area. And if a Dementor gets beamed up, someone needs to keep it in control." 

Ginny nodded and the four other departed. 

Then Ginny turned towards the captain. "Sir, I would like to suggest something. It would be best if they are beamed into a cargo bay. There it would be possible to empty the bay if there are many Dementors." 

"I believe this is an excellent suggestion, sir. Cargo bay six is currently empty." Data supported her. 

"Very well. Could you inform Doctor Crusher of what has to be done?" the captain said. 

"Yes.  I am going to that bay in case of a Dementor comes along." 

Then Ginny's look felt on Counselor Troi. She was shaking. Ginny herself was keeping her memories at bay, but she understood the cause. Quickly she made her way to the replicator, ordered a bar of chocolate and handed it to Deanna. "This helps a bit." 

Before she ran away, she addressed the whole bridge. "Eat some chocolate when you feel the effects of the Dementors. It helps a little." 

***

Harry, Ron, Sirius and Hermione felt the effects of the Dementors immediately. They quickly spread out around the group and all four roared: "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

From Harry's wand erupted the silver stag. Hermiones Patronus was a large silver Kneazle. Sirius' was his animagus form, a large bear-like dog. Ron's Patronus was a gigantic Iberian griffin. 

The four creatures attacked the Dementors and started to drive them away. 

While Sirius focused on his Patronus, he managed to hit com-badge. "Beam the crewmembers away." 

***

Ginny was waiting at the entrance of the cargo bay, her wand out. In the hallway were Beverly and some medical staff. 

There hadn't been a sign for the surface yet. But suddenly Sirius voice chirped trough her com-badge. "Beam the crewmembers away."

Ginny tensed a little when the blue glows appeared. To her relief only the twelve crewmembers appeared. She signalled the medical crew and they quickly cleared the bay. 

After the crew had departed, only Ginny, Beverly and Alyssa Ogawa remained. Doctor Selar would handle the crewmembers. 

The Vulcan had been very sceptical when Ginny had informed them about the chocolate. But Beverly had enforced her orders. Ginny still had gotten a harsh glare, something very rare for a Vulcan. 

***

Beverly studied the girl face and posture. The girl was somewhat tense, but very alert. 

To say that she was surprised when Ginny had stormed into sickbay was putting it mildly. Not only her hurry or what was going on, but the change in the girl's attitude. She was very businesslike, quick to the point and leadership skills were showing. She had seen her as a somewhat silent and reserved girl in large company, girly when with her friends or like when they had been with the four females this morning and gentle and caring when she helped out in sickbay. But she had never seen the 'soldier' inside her. 

Now she thought about it… she hadn't it seen so much in the others either. Hermione appeared a studious young woman, but beneath the surface was a mischievous streak and some temper.   

She was forced to focus on the cargo bay again when five transporter signals appeared, effectively ending this train of thought. 

***

Ron was relieved when heard the whine of the transporter behind him. Keeping the Patronus charm going in the presence of thousand or more Dementors was taking his toll. 

It was becoming more and more difficult to focus on the memory of being reunited with his little sister after the kidnapping. Glancing around him he noticed that the others were coming closer to each other. He followed their example. 

They were back to back when he felt a faint tingle running over his body and the world dissolved around him. 

***

Deanna stared at the viewing screen. The chocolate had helped a little like Ginny had said. 

They had had quite a clear image on the bridge of their colleague's obvious pain. It was true what the wizards and witches had told them. The signs were before him. They had only received a message of Starfleet with the orders to check out the disappearance of hundred colonists on this planet. 

Perhaps their guests knew what had happened with them.

Then she saw Sirius, Hermione, Harry and Ron arrive and the silver figures emerged from their wands. The shapes of Harry and Sirius' Patronus were clear with her, but Hermiones looked a little like a… tiger and Ron's looked a griffin or something. 

And the silver creatures were working against those creatures. 

***

Hermione was shaking. The energy was draining from her faster then she had expected. She had done the Patronus charm often, even in the presence of quite some Dementors. But this was like she had never experienced. 

She had been shocked many times. She had been furious many times. The last time being when her parents wanted her to quit Hogwarts last year. 

She had just been initiated in the Order of the Phoenix, when the message had arrived. Her parents had heard about Voldemort and wanted their daughter home for her safety. Still in her new robes, she had stormed over to Dumbledore and handed him the letter. 

He had managed to calm her down and in the mean time also Harry and Ron had joined them, having heard what had been going on. Harry had suggested going now and talking to her parents and somehow they had convinced Dumbledore to come along. 

So they had left Hogwarts and Dumbledore had apperated them to Hermione's house. There Dumbledore had introduced himself and Hermione had outlined her reasons for wanting to stay at Hogwarts. And also Ron and Harry had spoken

She smiled inwardly at what they had said. 

_"Mrs. Granger, I understand your fear for your daughter. But with Voldemort back, everyone has to do their part in defeating him. That includes Hermione."_

That had been Harry. 

_"Mr. Granger, I can imagine that here might seem safer for Hermione. But because she is close with Harry she will be a target. Especially if she goes home. At Hogwarts she has other people who can help her fight. And she helps other people fight." _

It had taken some time, but finally she had been allowed to stay at Hogwarts. But it hadn't improved the relationship with her parents. 

***

Ginny tensed when again blue glows appeared. She counted five of them. 

As the forms took shape, she stepped forward and roared: "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

The Dementor the transporter somehow had managed to get was immediately attacked by the large silver Pegasus that had emerged from Ginny's wand. 

While Ginny held the Dementor of, Beverly and Alyssa helped the four other to get out the door. When they out the door, Ginny stepped back and slapped the knob to close the door. 

Beverly hit her com-badge to give Data the signal to open the door. And Alyssa handed out bars of chocolate. 

***

"You okay, guys?" Ginny asked when they had made their way to Sickbay. 

Ron yawned. "Just tired. When we are finished I am gonna take a long nape."

Hermione whacked up Ron on the back of his head.  "How is the away team doing?" she asked.  

At that moment Doctor Selar choose to approach them. "They are fine, Miss Granger. I have sent them to rest. And your advise was valid, Miss Weasley." 

Ginny rolled her eyes. Beverly saw it and grinned.

"Why don't go take your nap? Ginny, would you mind giving me a hand with my report? I need someone who knows more on the effect of Dementors." 

Ginny nodded. 

Harry turned towards Beverly. "Perhaps it's a good idea if we get the ship somewhat away from the planet. We are still feeling the effect of the Dementors. When we have rested, we will start searching for more permanent solution." 

Beverly nodded.

Hermione, Sirius, Ron and Harry went to rest. Beverly put Ginny in her office and asked her to describe the effects of Dementors and the effects of chocolate. Then she went to get the data of the medical scans. 

***

After a few hours the senior staff and the guests collected in the observation lounge. 

Picard opened the meeting and then turned towards their guests. "What exactly were those creatures?" 

"Those creatures are called Dementors. They come forward from the darkest places on Earth. They feed themselves with peoples happy thoughts and memories. When you stay in their presence for a long time, only your worst memories remain. You become as merciless as they are. The only charm that works against them is the Patronus charm." Harry explained.

"Why didn't we feel the effect sooner?" Deanna asked. "I felt the cold just before you came on the bridge, while we had already been in orbit for some time."

"Voldemort had put a shield around the planet. He dropped it when you were beaming people in." 

"I have been looking for a spell we can use to shield the planet. But it's best if we or other ships don't come near the planet." Hermione said. "We don't know of a way to destroy so much Dementors at once." 

"Which spell, Mione?" Ron asked. "I thought you were taking a nap." 

"Wasn't tired anymore. Besides, when Ginny was ready we found it together." Hermione quickly said, shrugging her shoulders.

"I have something else to ask. Do you have any idea what happened to the colonists on the planet?" This question came from Riker. 

The five glanced at each other. 

"I am afraid they were killed by Voldemort. Or that they have gotten the Dementors kiss." Sirius said quietly. 

"The Dementors what?" 

The Dementors kiss. Under the hood they have some kind of mouth. They clamp it around the mouth of the victim and suck their soul out. The body still lives on, but the essence is gone." Hermione explained.    

"Doctor Crusher, how far are you with your medical report?"

"It's finished. Miss Weasley has given me a hand." Beverly said. 

The meeting continued for some time, then they prepared the spell and cast it, hoping that Voldemort wouldn't break it.


	6. Birthday

Chapter six

Birthday****

Time had creped by slowly, but steadily and before they knew it was 18 September. 

After dealing with the Dementors live had settled down a bit. Voldemort wasn't seen anymore and The Federation had declared the planet, now named Dementora, forbidden area. 

The five wizards and witches had gotten familiar enough with life on the ship to go along without any trouble. Every morning they trained, sometimes dueling, other times their weapons or other forms of more practical training. In the early afternoon Hermione usually forced them to make some homework, with Sirius helping. After that Ginny often went to study healing with Beverly for about an hour and the others played games, talked or, in mostly Hermione's case, studied some more. 

They hadn't been making progress on determining which spell had been used to send them back. And the Starfleet crew hadn't been having any success either with the technological way. 

***

Ginny wanted to turn around and go back to sleep, but the empty feeling in the room wouldn't leave her alone. So she opened her eyes and sat up. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and looked around. 

Her eyes fell on Hermione, who was sitting on her bed with her knees pulled up, arm wrapped around it and supporting her chin on her hands. She was staring with open eyes in space, not seeing or moving anything. 

Ginny pushed the blankets of her and pulled her robe on. Then she walked over to Hermione and sat down on the edge of the bed. 

"Mione?"

Hermione didn't react. 

"Mione, what's wrong?" Ginny repeated. 

This time Hermione reacted. She put her hands before her eyes and started to sob. 

Ginny didn't say anything, but simply put her arms around the older girl before her and pulled her close. After a little while the sobs died down and Hermione pulled back a little.   

"Feeling better?" 

"Yeah. Thanks, Ginny." 

"So, what's wrong, Mione?" 

"It's nothing." 

"Mione, you wouldn't be crying so if there was nothing wrong…" 

"That's something you're good at. You have woken already four or five time screaming for some nightmare." Hermione retorted. 

Ginny was silent for a few moments. "I think we both should talk…" 

"I was just thinking about my parents. Those few days' I was there last summer didn't really go well. We had several fights. Still about the fact I didn't want leave Hogwarts. They think that I want to get myself killed or something… Or that I am just plain stubborn. And tomor-row with my birthday, it brings back certain memories…"

***

"Harry… Harry." 

Harry turned around and grumbled something. 

"HARRY!" 

"What!" Harry shot up in his bed. 

"I need your help. The present isn't going as I want it." Ron exclaimed.  

Harry peered at the alarm clock. "Ron, it is 6.30. Does that really have to be done now?" 

"Yes!" 

"Ron, if we look at in one or two hours, it will still be there. So, get in your bed and go to sleep for an hour or so. Her birthday is tomorrow." Harry lay down again and pulled the blankets half over his head. 

***

"My nightmares are about the kidnapping. Every time Voldemort succeeds in controlling me and I kill you, Ron, Harry, everyone I love… Every time I feel him in my head again." Ginny was silent for a moment.

"And every time is it like something dirty is sticking to me and I can't wash it away." she finished her story. 

Hermione had listened silently. "We can't do much to keep the nightmares away…" 

"Do you ever have nightmares, Mione?" 

"Of course…" Hermione also was silent. "I often come home and see my parents. They lay on the ground, dead. Killed by the killing curse... The Dark Mark above the house… And on the wall there is writing. 'Mudblood, you're next.' it says. And suddenly my parents stand up and yell at me. That's my fault. Because I am witch… Because I stayed with Harry…" 

***

"What didn't work, Ron?" 

Harry had been woken up again an hour later and he had decided to get out of bed to help Ron. Together they bowed over the frail object before them. 

Fifteen minutes later Harry sighed. "So, this will do it. And now… hide it." 

Ron started wrapping the gift in some soft cloth. "You have your gift ready?" 

"I bought it this summer already. It's safely wrapped in my trunk."

***

That day Ron, Harry, Ginny and Sirius had a short talk to see if everything was ready for the small party they had planned next day. 

***

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY HERMIONE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!" 

"What!" Hermione shot up in her bed, feeling around for her wand. Then she peered in the laughing faces of Ron, Harry, Ginny and Sirius. "Jesus guys, you scared me death." 

"Happy birthday, Mione." Ron shook her hand and gave her a big sloppy kiss on the cheek. 

The others wanted to follow his example, but Hermione held up her hand. "You go to the living room. I will get dressed and be there in a few minutes." 

Ginny exited the room first, followed quickly by the males. 

***

Hermione entered the room five minutes later. She was dressed in a long, deep purple skirt and a white long, flowing blouse. Her hair was styled in a bun in her neck.  

She looked around in surprise. The whole room was decorated with balloons and streamers. And there was a large banner, saying 'Congrats Hermione'. The four friends were sitting around the table, which was covered with several delicacies. 

Ginny stood up, holding something behind her back. When she was close, she pulled it out from behind her back and placed it on Hermione's head. It was a large paper crown, with flowers, ribbons and a plaque, saying 'Hermione, 16 years'.

The second she had it on her head, the other four pulled out four party heads and placed them on their heads. Everyone sat down around the table and started to eat. 

***

After breakfast they moved over to couch to give Hermione her presents. Everyone was stuffed and still wore their party heads. 

Sirius was the first and handed her a long, flat package. It was wrapped in dark blue paper with a white bow. Hermione opened it and the package contained a sheath for her dagger. 

Hermione turned it over and studied the embroidery on it. "Well, Sirius. It's clear you're a Gryffindor. But the embroidery is very fitting." The sheath was made of dark red leather and had a golden Kneazle embroidered on it. 

Then Harry followed. He congratulated her and pecked her on the cheek. Handing her the package in a silvery wrap, he sat back. 

Hermione weighted the package on her hand and smiled. "I thought giving books as gifts was my department?" Then she opened the gift. From it the paper emerged a thick text, which Mione took in her hand and leaved through it. 

"I hope you like it. Its muggle psychology, but I thought it would be handy anyway." Harry said. 

"That doesn't matter, Harry. Something about developmental psychology is always handy when you want to be teacher." Hermione said, placing the gift besides the sheath on the table. Then she looked at the Weasley's. 

"You can go first, Gin." Ron hissed at Ginny. 

Ginny looked a bit annoyed. "Ron, you would go first. Otherwise you wouldn't dare anymore…" 

"Okay." Ron picked up a box, wrapped in deep purple paper and a pink bow and handed it over. 

Hermione carefully removed the bow, then removed the paper to show a brown carton box. She laid the paper and bow away and placed the box on the table. Opening it, she only saw some soft cloth. When she pushed it away, she gasped…

In the box laid a beautiful silver tiara. She slowly lifted it out of the box. The silver strips formed an elaborate patron of roses and leaves, decorated with small pearls. "Where did you find this?" she whispered. 

"I designed it myself. I think it would look beautiful with your dress robes." Ron said, turning a bit red. 

Hermione carefully placed it back in the box and hugged Ron. "Thank you." 

Letting go a few moments later she wrapped the cloth around the tiara and closed the box. Then she turned towards Ginny: "Sorry Ginny…" 

"Don't worry about it. It isn't every day you get pretty jewelry from your boyfriend." Ginny had a little smile on her face. 

Harry and Sirius snickered behind their hands and Hermione and Ron turned bright red. "She isn't my girlfriend." Ron sputtered. 

"Maybe not, but you would want to." Ginny quipped back. 

"We will discuss this later, Miss Weasley." Hermione hissed. "Now…" 

Ginny smiled again and handed her a large package. Hermione opened the package and shook out a soft green bath robe with matching fuzzy slippers

"How did you know that mine was becoming too small?" 

"Mione, we shared a room whole summer. I am not blind." Ginny grumbled. 

"Gotcha." 

***

Hermione insisted that they did their morning practice as always, even thought the other four protested. But when she wanted to get her books to study, they had stopped her and took her to the Holodeck.

Harry had chosen a cinema program, with a film he knew that Hermione liked. After that they headed to Ten Forward for to order some cake and something to drink. 

Finally Ginny had prepared a great meal and they had a great time chatting and Sirius telling about a few very interesting adventures in his Hogwarts time.

***

 After they had cleaned up, the five sat down on the couch and chairs. They were just about to order some drinks, when the chime rang. 

Hermione looked at her friends, but they shrugged their shoulders. She stood up and went to open the door. She was very surprised when Deanna, Beverly, Will and Picard were standing before the door. 

"Good evening. May we come in?" Will said. 

"Of course. Come in." Hermione stepped aside to let the guests in. "May I ask why you're here?" 

"We heard from Guinan that you had your birthday today. We just wanted to congratulate you." Beverly explained. 

Sirius also had stood up. "Please, take a seat. We were just about to get something to drink. Would you like something too?" 

Beverly, Deanna, Picard and Will sat down and Sirius quickly handed out their orders. Hermione also wanted to sit down, but the doorbell rang again. She walked back to the door to let Data, Geordi and Guinan in. 

Sirius also asked them for their drinks, while Hermione asked them to sit down. Hermione pulled a chair form the bedroom for herself, while Sirius flopped himself down besides Counselor Troi. Quite close besides Counselor Troi. 

Hermione sat down on her chair. "Why are you all here? It's only a birthday. And I had a great day with my friends."

"That doesn't matter, Miss Granger. But if we aren't welcome, we will go." 

"O no. That's not it. I was merrily a bit surprised."

"We also brought a few presents. This one is from Doctor Crusher and me." Deanna said, handing Hermione a small package. 

Hermione opened the wrap, showing a small black box. Carefully she opened it and smiled when she saw the contents of the box. She turned it around to show it the others, revealing a pair of silver and pearl earrings. 

"Those should fit beautifully with Ron's gift, Mione" Ginny commented. 

"Ron's gift? Which other gifts did you get, by the way?" Beverly asked. 

Hermione stood up and walked over to a closet where she had put the gifts. When she had the gifts, she sat down again and showed the sheath, book and bathrobe with slippers. Then she carefully placed the box on her lap and opened it. Gently she lifted the tiara from the cloth, showing it to everyone. 

"I believe Miss Weasley was correct in her assumption. The earrings should fit with the tiara." Data commented. 

Everyone smiled and Hermione put the gifts away. When she had sat down again, Picard handed her rectangular, heavy package. The wrap should be removed to show a thick text about a few main species in the Federation. 

Hermione did so and opened the book with a delighted look on her face. She leaved trough the pages for a few minutes and thanked the captain. 

"Great. Now we really have to drag her away if we want to have some fun." Ron grumbled. 

Everyone grinned and Data handed her a flat package. After opening it, Hermione burst out laughing. 

"I don't understand what you find humorous about this situation. You seem to have a fondness for wearing long skirts and a loose flowing blouse. And I have seen you wearing your gift under those cloths. According to my history research hoses in your time were damaged very quickly. We don't have so many problems with them in this time." Data said. 

"I didn't mean to offend you, Mr. Data. It's simply a somewhat… unexpected gift." Hermione said after she had recovered herself. 

Hermione quickly placed the gifts on the table and received an own tricorder from Geordi, a text about Federation history from Will and another birthday cake from Guinan. 

Ginny quickly took it upon herself to serve out the cake, while Hermione put away her gifts.   

***

They chatted about some lighter topics, but then Harry turned to a somewhat more serious subject. "Captain, how far has the research progressed on Earth?" 

"There is progress, but we can't say when they succeed." The Captain answered. "But this reminds me something else. As you know we arrive at the planet Thule tomorrow. We will stay there for three days because of shore leave. But tomorrow evening there is a formal reception. You are welcome to attend if you wish. But it's formal dress." 

Hermione and Ginny glanced at each other with a sparkle in their eyes. The boys glanced at each other warily. "We will be there, Captain." Ginny agreed. 

"By the way, I have scheduled you to beam down in the first group for the shore leave tomorrow." Will Riker said. 

The five nodded in agreement. 

Then they turned away from this subject, to something else. 

***

"Ginny, I know you're big on healing, but which professions do the other practice in your world? Or which you want to practice?" Guinan asked at a moment in the conversation. 

"I was an Auror. That's something like a… detective in the police. We hunt dark wizards down." Sirius answered.  

"I am taking the subjects which help my follow in the footsteps of my father and godfather. I am gonna be an Auror." Harry replied. 

"I am gonna be a teacher. Preferably at Hogwarts once."

"Poor kids. You won't stop before every student knows every letter off Hogwarts: a History, Mione." 

"Well, you don't even have an idea what you want to do, Mr. I-am-so-great." Hermione retorted to Ron. 

Ginny laughed. "For know I am keeping it on healing." She replied when Guinan looked at her.

Hermione retorted again to Ron and everyone laughed again. The evening ended a short while later in bubbles of laughter.


	7. Shore leave

Chapter 7

Shore leave

"Do you already have your dress robes ready, Sirius?" Hermione asked for the sixth time. 

"Yes, Mione. You don't have to ask me that thousand times." 

"Yes, but you are forgetful as what. Just like Ron, but he has Harry to remind himself things."

"Would you guys kindly leave me out of this? Hermione, Ginny, how late are you beaming back?" Harry quickly changed of subject. 

"17.00. But we can move forward." Ginny gestured to the open space before them. 

Ten minutes later the five took place on the platform and were beamed down. 

***

Ron trusts his head back and breathed in the fresh air. "This feels good." 

Ginny and Hermione turned around, their hair flowing on the wind. Both laughed at his remark. "Totally right." Ginny remarked. 

Harry and Sirius was a little end behind him, talking privately.

Ron, Hermione and Ginny set down their bags and flopped themselves down on the grass, waiting for the last two to catch up. Ron was wearing a pair of jeans shorts and a dark blue T-shirt with sneakers. Hermione was in a short-sleeved white blouse and a dark blue skirt. Ginny also wore a short-sleeved white blouse, but with a pair of jeans shorts.

Finally Harry and Sirius caught up. Harry wore simple set of black shorts, T-shirt and sneakers. Sirius was in long jeans, white T-shirt and leather boots. Both also flopped down on the grass after setting down their bags.

"It's good to get some fresh air. I have been cooped up in the ship for too long." Harry commented.

The other quickly agreed and Hermione looked around her. "This is a beautiful place." She commented. 

It was indeed a beautiful place. They were in a grassy field with several bushes, by a small lake. The white-painted houses of the village were a half mile away. 

"Hé Mione, what do you know about this planet?" Ron asked. 

"It's a subtropical planet, except for a few mountain tops. The people have almost a com-pletely human appearance, baring a small ridge on their foreheads. The main use of the planet is recreational. The planet is controlled by a female ruler, called Konega. It's an inherited position, going from mother to daughter. The Konega is assisted by the Counsel of Women and the Board of Men. The Counsel of Women exists out twenty-six women, each representing one district on the planet. The Board of Men exists from five men. They can be fathers, brothers, husbands, sons or an occasional nephew from the Konega…" Hermione started to flow them information. 

"Well, I like the outfits the women were wearing in the village." Ginny commented middle in the flow of information. 

Hermione looked a bit irritated at being interrupted, both boys groaned, but Sirius had a small smile on his face. 

Then Hermione smiled also. "I agree. They are beautiful. Perhaps we should see if can acquire such an outfit." 

Both girls started discussing colors and patterns. Both boys groaned even more and pulled out a game of wizards chess, but Sirius' smile even widened. He loved to see the girls being girly.

People always saw the pressure on the four. Pressure even adults shouldn't have to carry. 

But if someone would ask him who of the four showed to it the most, it wasn't Harry. Of course he felt it, but he was very adept at covering it and he showed it only to people very close to him. And Ron kept it covered with his upbeat nature and occasionally acting a bit goofy. Sirius recognized this from himself. 

It were the girls who showed it the most. It had caused Ginny to go to being quiet and a bit reserved in larger companies. Luckily that had been changing a bit the last few months. Hermione was diving even more in her books. And she was already less likely to act girly. It had been Ginny and to a lesser extent Parvati and Lavender who got her a bit interested in typical girl things. She had surprised many people when she developed a very own and unique style of clothing and started to wear some make-up. 

"Hé, I don't know about you, but I am gonna take a swim." Ginny suddenly interrupted his thoughts. 

The girl started rummaging through one of the bags and then threw Hermione her purple bathing suit, Harry and Ron their black swimming trunks and she took out her own dark red bathing suit. Then she pulled Hermione up and the two went over to some bushes. 

Harry and Ron smiled at each other and went over to some other bushes. 

Ten minutes later the four teens were splashing around in the small lake. Sirius was laughing at the wall side. 

***

After having been swimming for twenty minutes Hermione was the first to come out of the water. She grabbed a towel, drying of her long hair. Then she lay down on the blanket, closing her eyes and soaking up the warm sunrays. 

Ron followed quickly, also drying himself of. He didn't lay down to soak up the sun however, but started to chat with Sirius about the future. 

Hermione followed the conversation for a few moments, then rolled on her stomach, popped her head up on her hands and opened her eyes. "Ron, for all the two months we have been spending together last summer, you never got around to tell us which subjects you chose." 

"Well, I dropped divination. I picked Business and Trades, International Affaires and Rela-tions and Organisation."

"Quite a big package. Do you want to work on the Ministry or something like that?" Sirius asked. 

Hermione could see that Sirius had hit a little nerve. "Do you know what I think, Ron? I think you already know what you want after school." 

Ron was silent for a few seconds, but then grinned. "I do. I hope I can get a job on the Department of Magical Recreation and Sports. I still absolutely love Quidditch, but I am not good enough to play. So, I would like to organize the games and that kind of things." 

"That sounds like a great idea. But why didn't you tell us? Do your parents know?" Hermione asked. 

"Harry only knows. I was… a bit anxious you would find it a stupid dream." Ron clarified. 

"Why should that be a stupid dream? If you work hard enough, I am sure you're gonna make it." Sirius said. 

They were suddenly startled from their conversation from a loud shriek from the lake. 

***

Ginny was calmly floating in the water. Hermione and Ron had gotten out and Harry was trekking between the sides of the lake. 

Suddenly she felt a few splashes of water and opened one eye. Harry was swimming close by and few drops from his crawling arms had felt in her face. 

Ginny turned around and swum after Harry. Just when he turned around at the shore side she stood before him and started splashing him. 

Harry laughed and splashed back. "Where is that necessary for?" he yelled above Ginny's laughter and the sounds of the water. 

"I was calmly floating in the water in the water and splashed me wet. So, I thought it was justice to get you back." 

Harry wasn't wearing his glasses and he couldn't see under the water surface. Even Ginny was quite hazy. The sudden rock caused him lose balance and her fell forward, right on top of Ginny. 

The water fight went on for a little while, until Harry tripped over a large rock under the water surface. He lost his balance, falling forward. Right into Ginny. 

Ginny shrieked loudly when she felt Harry hitting her, causing her to lose her own balance. And she fell back into the water, Harry still in top of her…

***

The three on the wall looked up at the loud shriek and the very loud splash that followed it. All three had been automatically reaching for their wands, but they burst out laughing when they understood what had happened. 

"Way to go, Harry! W…" That had been Sirius, until Hermione silenced him. 

"Hé Harry. Stay away from my sister. You hear me?" Ron called over the water.

"I lost my balance." Harry yelled back and he busied himself helping Ginny up. 

Sirius, Ron and Hermione sat down again, laughing loudly. 

***

Ginny and Harry both turned bright red. The way they laid in the shallow water. 

Ginny had ended up with legs wide and Harry was lying between them. To make matters worse Harry had ended up with one hand on one of her breasts. 

It took a few seconds before the way they were laying settled in their mind and Harry hastily scrambled on his feet. He held his hand out, starting to help Ginny on her feet. 

They were still both bright red. And to make matters worse…

"Way to go, Harry! W…" They heard Sirius call. 

"Hé Harry. Stay away from my sister. You hear me?" That was Ron.

"I lost my balance." Harry yelled back and he busied himself helping Ginny up again. 

Finally Ginny was on her feet again and she started walking back to the shore side. Harry stared after her. 

***

Harry stared indeed after Ginny. She was beautiful. The dark-red bathing suit showed her figure perfectly. And the loose red hair clung to her skin. Her skin was a soft brown tan almost everywhere after a long summer mostly spend outside. But the few places that weren't, had the color of cream. 

The school uniforms, her simple dresses or even the blouses and black stretch-trousers she had gotten so fond on last summer had never shown him this. 

And when he touched her just before, she had been so… soft. He had never expected that with her figure. That was completely… athletic?

Harry turned bright red again and turned around for moment. He waded into the water and dove forward to cool down a bit. 

A few minutes later he had composed himself again and waded back to shore. 

***

Back at Hogwarts Parvati Patil shot up with start. It took her a few moments to calm her breathing down. 

It wasn't the first time she had had dreams like this in the last two weeks. Lavender also had them once. 

She climbed out of her bed and glanced at the clock on her bedside to see it was nearly seven in the morning. Getting dressed quickly she left a note for Lavender and headed towards Dumbledore's office. 

***

They spent a few more hours near the little lake. Sirius also took a dive and they played some games. Hermione and Ginny also used the possibility to sunbathe.

And Harry had brought his broom, so they could fly a few rounds. 

On moment however, they had to gather things to get back because the girls would beam back in one and half hour and they wanted to take a look around the market in the village. 

***

"What can I do for you, Miss Patil?" Dumbledore asked when she had arrived in his office. 

"I dreamed again of Harry and everyone. But this time Sirius Black was with them… And they were playing and laughing at a kind on lake. Sirius Black… what if he kills them…" 

Dumbledore scrutinized the young woman before him carefully. The vision dreams of her and her room mate had already given them a few leads to where they should start looking for the disappeared friends. 

But he hadn't exactly counted on this. Not on the fact that he would have to explain everything around Sirius Black. 

"Could you find Miss Brown? You both have had dreams and I think I can better explain it once." 

Parvati nodded and headed towards the door, but it wasn't necessary anymore for the fact that Lavender came in. 

"You have been dreaming also?" Parvati asked her roommate. 

Lavender nodded and turned to Dumbledore. "They were with Sirius Black!" 

"I know. Miss Patil told me that. Please take a seat and allow me to explain."

Both women sat down on the chairs before the desks. 

"I must start with saying that Harry and his friends are in absolutely no danger from Sirius Black. You have heard the story about how Sirius Black killed Peter Pettigrew and how he betrayed Harry's parents. What we didn't know until three years ago is that Sirius Black wasn't the secret keeper of the Potters. It was Peter Pettigrew and he betrayed them to Voldemort." Dumbledore told them the whole story. 

The girls listened without interrupting his story. When he was finished it was silent for a few moments. 

"Harry knows already since the end of his third year? Why didn't he ever say anything?" 

"This would have placed Sirius in an enormous amount of danger. Miss Patil, Miss Brown, don't be scared if you see him in your dreams because he only wishes to protect Harry and his friends. But could you describe your dreams in somewhat more detail?"

Both described their dreams in details. Dumbledore listened carefully, making a few notes. When they were finished, Dumbledore said: "You must not speak about Sirius with anyone. Is this clear? Miss Patil? Miss Brown?" 

Both girls nodded when he called their names and left the office. Dumbledore read over his notes one time, then headed out to call a meeting with the order. 

***

"Those are beautiful colors." Ginny said loudly. 

Ginny and Hermione were searching around in racks to find their combination of a typical Thulan outfit. Normally it existed from a long skirt to their ankles made from velvet like cloth. Over that came a dress with small bands over their shoulders which reached their knees, made from a more silk like cloth. Over the dress came a short long-sleeved, gauzy blouse which was tied just below the breasts. And to finish the combination, most women wore a very thin matching shawl draped over their head and shoulders. 

Sirius, Ron and Harry didn't find it so interesting. In clothing they weren't interested, since the males only wore simple blouses made of something like cotton and leather shorts. 

A sales man had approached the girls searching trough the racks. Both talked with him for a few moments, then the man headed behind a curtain. He came back with two hangers filled with cloths. He handed one to each of the girls and both headed behind a curtain where they could fit the outfits. 

Hermione was the first to appear. The skirt was a soft lilac, the dress deep purple and the blouse and scarf again a soft lilac. She admired herself in a mirror, then turned towards the guys. "Well, what do you think?" 

"Looks good on you." Sirius said, walking around her. 

Harry and Ron chimed in, then watched as Ginny also emerged. 

Ginny's skirt, blouse and shawl were a beautiful tint of brown, while her dress was crème. The blouse and scarf contrasted with the color of her skin, while the crème dress, broke the line of the brown and made sure that the outfit wasn't too severe. 

Ginny also checked herself in the mirror and showed her outfits to the males present. Both girls were sold. They changed back into their normal cloth and started to negotiate with the sales man. 

Both girls traded their outfits for a few pieces of new clothing they had had from their parents, but which they absolutely detested. The sales man, however, was in seventh heaven with the exotic alien outfits. 

He wrapped his sold products in thin paper and handed it to Ginny and Hermione. Both quickly thanked the salesman. The five quickly left to see the girls of to ship. 

Harry, Ron and Sirius would beam back around 18.30. 


	8. Formal affairs

Chapter 8

Formal affairs

Captain Picard and the other senior staff moved to greet the party from Thule. It consisted of Konega Armina, her husband Rajo, seventeen year old Konega son Christian and several members of the Council of Women.

The visit was mostly shore leave, but Starfleet also had jumped on the opportunity to let the flagship handle a few small diplomatic affairs. 

"Welcome on the Enterprise, Konega." Picard said. 

"Captain Picard. It's good to see you again. I hope you enjoyed your time on the surface." The woman with the long, blond hair answered back.

"I haven't had the time yet to beam down. I had planned to go down tomorrow." Picard replied. They made small talk for a few moments, then he moved on to the other members of the party. 

Finally he greeted the young Konega son. He had already known the boy for a few years and he knew how he loathed this formal affairs. That was why Picard had thought of the fact to invite the young wizards and witches to the party. 

***

Hermione checked herself over in the mirror to see if everything was as it should be. Ginny was finishing her make-up in the bad room. A few moments later the youngest Weasley also emerged and she checked herself over in the mirror. 

Suddenly the chime rang. Hermione called: "Come in." 

Harry, Ron and Sirius entered. All three were dressed in their dress robes. 

Sirius whistled when he saw the girls. "You look beautiful, girls." Both smiled a bit shyly. 

Ron walked over to Hermione and offered her his arm. "Will you allow me to escort you, milady?" 

Hermione smiled again, hooked her arm trough his and replied: "Of course, milord.' 

Harry grinned and offered Ginny his arm. Then the five walked out. Hermione and Ron first, then Ginny and Harry and Sirius trailing behind. 

***

Deanna looked up when the doors opened. Their 'magical' guests entered. She was a bit surprised at how mature the teens looked. 

Hermione was in a velvet dark blue robe. The velvet was embroidered with silver roses and leaves. The tiara Ron had given her was carefully woven into the hair pilled on top of her head. She also wore the earrings Deanna and Beverly had given her. 

Ron, who was holding Hermione arm, was in deep red dress robes. Those accented his auburn hair and they were just tight enough to show his muscled physique. 

Ginny and Harry were behind them. Ginny wore forest green satin dress robes, embroidered with gold at the hems. Her hair was pilled on top of her head, but it didn't hide the golden circlet with small green gems she wore, nor the matching ear rings. 

Harry besides her had somehow managed to tame his hair a bit. He wore simple, ebony black silken robes. 

Sirius closed the lines. Also he wore simple, ebony black silken robes, but his were trimmed with gold. His hair was pulled back at the nap of his neck. 

Deanna quickly made her way over to them.

***

Christian was looking around. He was bored. He had been on this ship a few times before, so that also had nothing new to offer. And all the small talk around here…

But suddenly his interests were perked by the small group that had entered. The group existed from two young women and two young men, around his age. Another man was also with them, but he appeared around the age of the Counselor who was walking over to the group. 

***

"Hello Counselor." 

"Hi. Usual party clothing in the wizard's world?" Deanna greeted the small group. 

"For the boring, formal ones, yes. For real parties, no." Sirius replied. 

Hermione whacked Sirius on his shoulder. "Yes, they are. And they are mostly for more formal affairs. But these are slightly flashier then usual dress robes." 

"They look good on you." Deanna replied. 

Harry, Ron and Sirius groaned, but the girls thanked her. 

"Guys in our world usually hate dress robes. Any different here?" Ginny quipped. 

"No, only captains who say that the size of their neck is still the same as sixty years ago. Come on, I will introduce you to some of the people." Deanna said and she guided them over to the guests. 

***

"Konega, I would like you to meet some of our other guests. This is Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ronald and Virginia Weasley and Sirius Black." Deanna introduced them to the elegant lady in green and silver.

"I have heard about you. What did you think about our planet?" The lady said.

"I am afraid we haven't seen enough of it to give a fair judgment, but what I have seen was very beautiful. The lake where we were today reminds me of home." Ginny answered. 

"And the girls love the daily wear. They spent quite some time selecting a set for themselves." Ron added. 

Konega Armina smiled. "And what did you think about our planet, young Ronald?" 

"I must agree with my sister. We haven't seen enough to give a fair judgment. But please call me Ron." 

"This is my son Christian. Christian, this is Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron and Ginny Weasley and Sirius Black." The ruler of Thule introduced a boy with brown hair. He wore a simple black pants and white shirt. 

Christian smiled and shook hands with Ron, Harry and Sirius. But when he took Ginny's hand he didn't shake it, but lifted it to his mouth and placed a light kiss on it. He repeated the same by Hermione. 

After some further introductions Armina went of with Sirius and Deanna while the teens chatted about several subjects. 

***

Suddenly a Waltz started to play. Captain Picard walked over to Konega Armina and asked her to dance. The woman accepted and the two walked out to the open dance floor. 

The couple danced together for a while, then other couples started to fill the floor. Harry took Ginny out to the floor and Christian asked Hermione also. 

The teens had quite a nice time together chatting and dancing together. 

***

"Counselor Troi, would you like to dance?" 

Deanna was talking with Beverly when Sirius Black approached and asked his question. 

Deanna smiled: "Of course." 

Sirius offered her his arm and guided her to the floor. Deanna placed her hand on his shoulder, while Sirius placed his hand on her back. Then he took her hand and started to dance.

"Counselor Troi… may I call you Deanna?" 

"Tomorrow, Mr. Black. Tonight I am afraid it's gonna have to stay Counselor Troi." Deanna said. 

"Then only for this dance?" 

Deanna saw the puppy dog eyes and relented a bit. "Okay, only for this dance." 

Sirius threw her his most charming smile. "You look great tonight."

"Thank you. But to be honest, I hate the dress uniform." 

"I see you in a mauve dress robes. With all silver decorations in your hair…" 

***

"Do you see that?" 

Ron and Hermione turned to Ginny who was dancing towards them with Harry. It had been Ginny who had spoken. 

"What do you mean?" Ron asked. 

Ginny's nodded in the direction of Deanna and Sirius. 

Hermione and Ron looked and their mouths fell open. 

Sirius and Deanna were dancing. That wasn't the problem. The problem was that they were dancing quite close. A bit too close. Sirius' hand had slipped a little bit too low.

"That isn't the only problem." Harry's nod directed them to look in the face of Commander William Riker. A face that stood like a thunder cloud. 

"Ron, we need to cut in. Harry, occasionally you seem more mature than your godfather." With those words Hermione danced away with Ron, in the direction of Deanna and Sirius. 

"Harry, I hope you don't mind, but I gonna distract Commander Riker a bit." 

Harry guided them away from the dance floor and Ginny set of to do a bit work of her own.

***

"May I cut in?" Ron tapped on Sirius' shoulder, just as the song stopped. 

Sirius didn't look like he wanted to stop, but Hermione already gripped his hand and pulled him away. In the mean time Ron placed a hand on Deanna's back and griped her other hand and started to dance in the quickstep that had started to play. 

***

"What the heck do you think you are doing, Sirius? Flirting with the Counselor."Hermione chided him. 

"What is you problem, Mione? It means nothing."

"If everything goes well, we won't even stay in this time. And we are at a formal affair and there was a Commander Riker with face like a thundercloud… All I am saying is, if you want to flirt or even to seduce her, be careful. Voldemort is also here, in this time. We must be stay on our guard." Hermione said. 

"When I sometimes hear you, Mione, I wonder who the adult is and who the teenager is." 

"Most of the times you are the adult, Sirius. And when you can't be, one of us will take over for the moment. And if you get wounded or something because you get in argument with the dear Commander, I will tell Ginny not to patch you up." Hermione said with a wink. 

Sirius shook his head and smiled. After the dance was finished, Hermione went of to fetch something to drink. Sirius did the same and the next dance he was asked by a lieutenant. 

***

When Ginny approached Commander Riker, it took a few moments to get his attention. 

"O, Miss Weasley. What can I do for you?" 

"I merrily was wondering if you wanted to dance. You looked so longing." Ginny said with a smile. 

"It isn't so bad. But if you are offering me a turn on the floor, I won't refuse." He offered his hand to the girl and led her to the floor.

Ginny smiled when the music started to play. A quickstep, her favorite dance. And the Commander was an excellent dancer, most of the time. 

"Ouch." Ginny noticed the Commander was very distracted and staring at Deanna, who was dancing with her brother. "Where are you with your head, Commander?" 

She pretended if she was following his looks. "Counselor Troi is good hands with my brother. He might look big and a bit clumsy, but he won't smash her. He is quite a good dancer. Ask Mione." 

Riker just smiled and kept his attention on the girl before him, trying to make sure he wouldn't smash her toes. 

***

Hermione took a sip of the cider she had fetched for herself and felt the cool drink gliding down her troth. 

"Miss Granger."

Hermione looked up to see a handsome young man standing before. From the rank pin on his uniform she could see he was cadet who did a traineeship on the Enterprise. She had seen the man before in Ten Forward. 

"Yes?" 

The man ran a hand trough his black hair. "I was wondering if you would like to dance with me."

"Of course, Cadet…?" 

"Baker. Damien Baker. But please call me Damien." 

"Only if you call me Hermione." 

Damien smiled and guided her to the dance floor. They danced together for a couple of dances. Ron, Harry, Sirius and Ginny had been occupied with some questions about Dementora. 

"I have been looking at you in Ten Forward several times. And you have me smitten. I was wondering if you would like to join me for dinner in two days."

"Damien, I probably won't ever remain in this time. And there are too many things I have to worry about." 

"That doesn't matter to me. Just to have good time. That's all. You need to relax sometimes."

Hermione smiled a bit, considered this for few moments, then agreed. 


	9. Unburying

Chapter nine

Unburying

Next day Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hermione and Sirius went back to the surface of the planet. This time not to relax, but to train. 

Harry, Hermione, Ron and Sirius were dressed in their order clothes; the loose night blue trousers, the white tunics and the forest green robes. Ginny had her night blue outfit on. 

Their wands were in wand holsters again, on their left hip and with the dagger on their right. And each of them carried their own weapon. Harry the Gryffindor sword; Hermione her boo-staff; Ginny the arrows and bow and Ron his axe. Sirius had his sword in his hand.

***

"Well done, Ginny. I think it's safe to say you have reached the level of others." Sirius declared after several rounds of dueling. 

"Why do you think I have been studying so hard? Now I had the chance to catch up without all the school. Thanks for the late evening study sessions, Mione." 

"You're welcome, Ginny. It was nothing. Now we finally can work all together." 

"I have had enough of dueling. Hermione, fight?" Ron exclaimed

"Of course." 

And before Ron knew what happened, Hermione had placed her wand in the holster on her belt and had enlarged her boo-staff. 

"Yikes. Mione!" Ron rolled backwards and pulled out his ax. 

The remaining three laughed.

Ginny turned towards Harry and Sirius. "I don't know what you are gonna do, but I am gonna do some targeting practice." She pulled out her bow, placed an arrow on the string and starting picking of targets. 

Harry and Sirius watched for a minutes, then Harry pulled out his sword. "Sparring, Sirius?" 

"Always." Sirius pulled out his own sword and the two started sparring in earnest. 

***

After training the five sat down to catch their breaths. They sat in silence, simply enjoying each others company. 

"You know, Sirius, I was wondering something. We have had some important parts of the training complete. Ginny has caught up with us, we have longtime completed learning the Patronus charm and we have completed the training you and McGonagall have been giving us. And we have learned the basics of the weapons we choose. Are we gonna do something new?" Ron asked. 

"You will continue the dueling, weapons, personal and those kinds of training. But instead of what McGonagall and I taught you, you will get a training for Dumbledores new plans." 

"Dumbledores new plans?" Ginny asked. 

"He is gonna start preparing in case of an invasion of Hogwarts. The classes of the fifth, sixth and seventh years will be directed on defense. Things you already know. And your new training is meant to prepare you for your roles in that defense." 

"What role?" Ron asked. 

"We will be put in leadership positions." Harry said. 

"When possible a teacher will lead the students, we can't count on that. So we need trained student leaders. Harry already has been receiving already some of this training. You will be in charge of the whole, Harry. Ron, you will be in charge of strategy and surrounding matters. Mione, you will be in charge of research and that kind of stuff. And since we can't relay on Madame Pomfrey to treat all the wounded, we need student medics. You will be in charge of them, Ginny." 

"But I don't have enough medical training for that." 

"You have. You are at the same level of the current seventh-year students who study Healing Magic. With a few extras. You all have enough knowledge to pull your tasks of."

"But what if I don't want…" 

"Mione, if something like this happens and the teachers aren't available, the students would turn to us. You know that. We can better be prepared for such a case. We need to do what's necessary to stop Voldemort." Harry said.

"I know. But this is a whole new responsibility." 

"You can do it. We all can do it." Harry said. 

***

"Well, come on then. Get me." 

After the discussion about the new measurements from Dumbledore, Ron got in his so-called 'funny' mood and started to chase Harry. Harry was annoyed for a few moments, but then started to get into the game. And finally they also managed to get the remaining three into the game. 

"Get me." Harry called again. This time he didn't remain on the open fields, but headed into the woods, Sirius and the three other teens following. 

Suddenly an idea came in Harry's head. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing the others behind him. He jumped over a fallen tree and in his place a big tawny lion ran. 

***

Ron saw Harry transforming. "The little bastard." He also jumped over the tree and followed Harry's example. In his place an Iberian griffin ran. 

Behind him ran a big black dog, a white Pegasus and a Kneazle the size of a tiger.

***

When they came out of the woods, the lion was quite ahead of them. Ron took another few leaps, then lifted into the air. And the Pegasus followed soon. 

Both landed before the lion and the Kneazle and dog were closing in from behind. The lion was surrounded. 

Harry turned back with a pop, slightly panting. "Okay, guys. I give up." 

Everyone turned back into his or her own form. 

"That was fun. Just to run some time." Ginny said, big smile on her face. 

"Well, let's run some more." With a pop Hermione turned back and ran. 

The others looked at each other and followed. 

***

After two days of formalities there was finally time for Deanna and Beverly to take some time for themselves. And they had opted to go down to planet for some hiking. And some… girl-talk? After some talking they ended on the reception. 

"I saw you dancing on the reception, De. You're not gonna tell me you don't like him." 

"Okay, Okay. Yes, I find him nice, Bev. But not in that way. And besides, he wouldn't be remaining on the Enterprise. He either goes back to his own or they go to Earth. And let's not forget the teens. They insist that they must remain alert on Voldemort." 

"And I hope Cadet Baker realizes that also." At Deanna's questioning look, Beverly explain-ned. "Cadet Damien Baker asked Hermione out for dinner." 

"There is a difference between Hermione and Sirius… He, look there." Deanna pointed in a direction. 

"That isn't a very usual group of animals. What species are those?" Beverly put her hand above her eyes against the sun. "A lion, a dog, a horse and two I don't recognize. What are they doing together?" 

Suddenly the animals changed direction and approached them. Beverly pulled out her phaser, putting it had stun. Deanna did the same. 

But a few yards before them the animals stopped. It were indeed a lion and the two other recognized animals, but now they also recognized a griffin. The other they still didn't recognize. 

The griffin and the horse stepped forward. Beverly lifted her phaser, but a hand from Deanna stopped her. 

"Wait… Those animals aren't violent… They feel familiar… somehow." Deanna said. She stepped forward and stroked the griffin over his head. 

In return the griffin spread his wings and turned his head to his back. Besides him the horse did the same. Wings that had perfectly blended in with the white coat before. 

"This is a Pegasus." Beverly said. "But what do they want?" 

"They want us to climb on their back." Deanna realized. She put a leg over the griffin's back and sat down.

Beverly jumped on the back of the Pegasus. Both animals ran a few steps and took the skies, both women holding on tightly. The animals down on the ground ran with them. 

***

About ten minutes later both animals landed again. While Deanna and Beverly climbed of the backs of the animals, the dog, lion and the animal they still didn't recognize. 

Deanna looked around. "I still don't get why they are so familiar to me." 

The Pegasus seemed to look at the lion. The lion nodded and suddenly two pops sounded. 

Deanna and Beverly looked in the smiling faces of Harry and Ginny. Then three other pops sounded and Hermione, Sirius and Ron took their own shapes. 

"I thought you were going to train?" Beverly asked. 

"This is a form of training. But a fun form of training. Being an animagus is something you need to keep up." Ginny quipped. 

"Animagus?" 

"Let's sit down under that tree. I will explain." Hermione said. 

***

After Hermiones explanation Ron challenged Harry for a duel. Hermione claimed Ginny, but for something completely different. 

Sirius and the two women remained under the three, watching the teen's practice. 

"Something I forgot to ask, what is an Iberian griffin?" Deanna asked. 

"It's just a species of griffin from Spain. Normal griffins have the head, wings and front paws of an eagle. The Iberian version has only the head and the wings." 

It remained silent for a few moments. Then Beverly asked something: "Mr. Black, how powerful are they exactly? Ginny has told me many things and I have been reading some books Hermione gave me. It seemed to me that they are capable of many things wizards their age can't do. Is it their training?" 

"No, it isn't just their training, although it helps a lot. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny have very much magical talent. With the right training they learn to tap in it more and more. Especially after this summer." 

"This summer?" 

"They have spent most of their last summer at Hogwarts. They trained every day. Dueling, some physical training, learning to use their weapons, knowledge of dark magic and defense and their personal training were only a part of it." Sirius explained.

"Hermione told me something about that. What do they do with personal training?" Deanna said. 

"Each has an area they specialize in. Ginny's personal training is healing magic. Ron learns all about strategy, tactics and logistics. Hermione is trained to find solutions for difficulties in all kinds' plans, but also information gathering. This means a broad knowledge of spells, potions and the books she can use, but also learning to develop new spells and potions. Harry is learning how to lead. Not only in battle, but also in many situations. Motivating people, solving problems, communication, team building, body language, all are parts of it. But some of this training the others they start also when we are back. Each of them knows some basics in these areas, but they all have their own specialization. They form a very strong team." 

"I already sensed some of the bonds the first evening you were here." 

"That's very well possible. They aren't just friends, but family to each other. And this makes them only more powerful."

"How powerful exactly?" 

Sirius looked each woman in the eyes. "If they want they can become the most powerful wizards and witches of their generation…" 

But suddenly a scream disrupted the talking and practicing. 

***

"What do you want to tell me?" 

"I have been working on a spell. It ties the life force of a person to the life force of another person, so that the first can draw from it. I started working on it after we had some cases that serious wounded Death Eaters died when Order members captured them and they die before we can interrogate them." Hermione started to explain.

"This spell let serious wounded people live longer. But is the life force of the person that's drained of not damaged?" 

"Some life force is drained. But this is replenished immediately. You can feel tired for a few hours, but that are the only negative effects." 

"But why are you only telling me this and not also Harry, Ron and Sirius?" 

"Because the only catch at the spell is, is that only women can cast it. It's tied in the fact that we can carry children." 

"I see. And how does the spell work?" Ginny asked. 

"With your wand you draw a pentagram on the forehead you want to help. Then you point the wand at your own heart and say 'Vivante'. But you must focus on your purpose. To end the spell you can use 'Finite Incantum'." Hermione explained. 

"Well, let's try. Do you mind?" 

"I have already tried it out. Do what you want." 

Ginny pulled out her wand, drew the pentagram on Hermiones forehead, and pointed the wand at her own heart. "Vivante." Directly she started to feel a tickly feeling flowing to her heart and then flowing out. "This feels weird." 

Hermione only grinned. 

"Finite incantum." Ginny ended the spell. 

Hermione wanted to stay something, but a loud scream disturbed them. 

***

The five wizard-warriors and the two Starfleet officers jumped to their feet and stood to-gether.

Harry was the first to speak. "What was that?"

Beverly looked at Deanna, who was standing with her eyes closed. "What are you sensing?" 

"Pain. It 's coming from that direction." 

All seven ran in that direction. 

***

All seven ran as quickly as they could. Deanna was guiding them. Wands and phasers were out and all seven were alert for any kind of danger that might come in their direction. 

That danger became clear when they approached an open spot in the small forest they were running trough. 

A seven feet tall strange creature was standing over a figure lying on the ground. The creature had a head that looked like a fox, but the rest of his body was covert in deep azure and jade feathers. He stood on strong claws, but there weren't any signs of wings. A couple in Starfleet uniforms was standing nearby, looking terrified.

"We can't just blast that thing away. Big chance we hit the girl." Beverly exclaimed. 

"Leave that to me. Ron, Mione be ready to help me if nessecary." With those words Harry put his wand away and transformed into his lion form. He broke into a run and plowed into the creature. Then he jumped away and waited for the creature to stand up. As soon as the creature was on his feet, the lion attacked animal instincts vibrating trough his whole body. 

***

The others waited until Harry had busied the creature, then also ran towards the group. Hermione and Ron kept an eye on Harry and the creature, ready to transform and jump in. Beverly and Ginny kneeled down by the figure on the ground, while Deanna headed over to the couple, with Sirius. 

Beverly pulled out the med kit she wore with her and took out the tricorder. Flipping it open she started to scan the wounded girl. 

"You always have a med-kit with you or not?" Ginny asked

"Almost always. It comes in handy on many occasions." Beverly ended her scans and checked the results. "Her vital signs are stable. But the scratches on her chest are quite serious. We need to get her to sickbay now, but she will be okay." 

"I am staying here, in case something happens to Harry or one of the others." Ginny said. 

Beverly nodded and handed Ginny her med-kit. "For if you need it. Have Harry come by at Sickbay in any case. And also Ron of Hermione if they get into the fight." 

Ginny nodded, while Beverly tapped her combadge. Both she and the girl disappeared a few moments later in blue light and Ginny headed over to Deanna, Sirius and the couple. 

***

Deanna was talking to the couple, asking what had happened and calming them down a bit. 

Their twelve year old daughter Miranda had been running around when they had heard the scream and the creature had been over her when they arrived. A few seconds later, Deanna and her group had arrived. 

Ginny walked over to them, smiling at the couple. "Doctor Crusher has taken her to Sickbay. She will be alright." 

Deanna nodded. "You best beam back to the ship. Go and see if your daughter is okay." 

Both nodded and the woman tapped her com-badge to contact the ship. Suddenly they were startled by a loud roar of the lion before them. 

Deanna and the couple were confused, but Hermione and Ron knew what they had to do. Both jumped forward, transforming in the middle of the leap and the Iberian griffin and the Kneazle joined the lion in the battle. 

"How can you do that?" The man of the couple asked, amazing visible on their face. 

Sirius smiled just a bit. "Lot's of practicing." 

The couple dissolved a few seconds later in the blue light. Slightly more than ten minutes later Harry, Ron and Hermione had chased the creature away and joined them, back in their human forms and with several scratches. Deanna taped her com-badge and also the remaining members dissolved in the blue light. 

***

Back on Enterprise Ginny looked over her friends. "You look a bit… scratched. I have orders of Doctor Crusher to get you to Sickbay if you joined in with the fight." 

Ron grumbled.

"Ron…" Ginny looked at her brother with a glare that reminded Sirius again of Molly Weasley. 

"I want to visit Miranda anyway." Hermione said. 

Ginny and Hermione started into the direction of sickbay, Sirius and Deanna following and finally Harry and Ron. The last one grumbling. 

***

Beverly looked up when the group entered Sickbay. She and Alyssa Ogawa had already treated Miranda and the girl was sleeping quietly with her parents watching over her. She walked over and looked over the group, her gaze remaining on the scratched trio. 

Ginny had an expression on her face that rivaled that of Commander Riker at the ball. "Mr. Weasley here didn't find it necessary again to get him self checked out." Then she handed Beverly her med-kit back. 

Beverly shook her head, laughing a bit. "Sounds very familiar. Well, Ron, I will take you. Alyssa, would you please check out Harry and Ginny, if you mind doing Hermione? I need to make reports later, so please don't use magic, Ginny." 

Ron followed Beverly, still grumbling. Harry followed Alyssa and Hermione hopped on the biobed close by. Ginny grabbed a tricorder from the tray and headed over to Hermione. Deanna and Sirius walked over to Miranda and her parents. 

***

Ginny calmly scanned Hermione, in the meantime still grumbling about her brother.

Hermione laughed. "Gin, you should know better by now then getting your brother to go willingly to sickbay." 

Ginny also laughed. "I know." 

"Well, am I gonna live?" 

"You're only a bit scratched. You will live." Ginny put down the tricorder and continued her work with a dermal regenerator. 

After everyone was fixed, they also went over to Miranda and her parents. The five wizards asked Beverly, Deanna, Miranda and her parents to keep their animagi abilities a secret as much as possible.

In report that Deanna and Beverly wrote only stood that Harry, Ron and Hermione defeated the creature with the help of magic.


	10. Attack

Chapter 10

Attack

Ginny looked up by the chime. She had been working from Common Magical Ailments and Afflictions. Hermione was out on her date with that Cadet. 

She walked over to the door and opened it. The door slit aside to reveal Beverly with something in her hand. 

"Doctor Crusher, come in. What can I do for you?" she said, stepping aside. 

Beverly entered and sat down on the couch. Ginny put her work away and joined her. 

"All alone here?" 

"Hermione is out with that Cadet. And the boys were having a guy's night or something like that. And I had some work to do. But was there something I could do for you?" 

"I have something that might come in handy for you." Beverly handed Ginny the gray kit she was holding. "You know how to use this. Time for your own."

Ginny opened the kit, revealing a collection of medical tools. She recognized them all, having learned all about them the last few weeks. 

"Thanks Doctor Crusher." 

***

Next morning Hermione was lying relaxed in her bed. She was thinking about the date she had had last night. It had proven to be quite a pleasant evening. Damien Baker was amiable companionship. He could keep up an intelligent conversation. 

He had also behaved very gentlemanly. He had picked her up at her quarters, completely with flowers. Then he had escorted her to Ten Forward, where he pulled her chair out. Later he had brought her back to her quarters. 

Harry and Ron hadn't been glad with the fact she had gone out on a date. Even when she insured them it was pure friendly. Especially Ron had grumbled. But a few glares of his sister had silenced them. 

Suddenly her combadge chirped. Hermione took it from her nightstand and taped it. "Hermione here." 

"Mione, this is Harry. Meet us in ten minutes in my quarters, full battle outfit." 

"Understood. Is Ginny with you already? Do I need to bring her stuff?" 

"Gin is here in battle outfit. But if you bring her med-kit. Harry out." 

After that last sentence Hermione jumped out of bed and grabbed her Order uniform. Eight minutes later she hurried to Harry's and Ron's quarters, in the mean time wrapping the elastic band at the end of her braid. 

***

When she entered Harry's and Ron's quarters the other four were already sitting around the table. Hermione walked over to an empty seat. "What's wrong?" 

"Voldemort is up to something. My scar is been hurting whole night. I just don't know what." 

Suddenly alarm claxons sounded through the ship.

"Red alert!" Ginny said.

A few seconds later the ship shook. Again a few seconds later a ship-wide message was sent out. "The Enterprise has been boarded." 

The five looked at each other. 

Ron quickly closed his eyes, reaching out with his magical senses. "Dark magic. There are Death Eaters on board. I can't sense how many." 

Ginny gave him her hand and reached out also. "There are about eight Death Eaters." The siblings let go of each others hands and stood up, just like the other three. 

"Wands out. You know what we have to do." Sirius said. 

All five ran out of the quarters. 

***

"How much do we know?" Minerva McGonagall asked. 

"With the dreams of Miss Patel and Miss Brown we have been able to disconcert that they are in the year 2376. We have been searching for several spells we can use to get someone to them and to get them back. And we are busy trying to find out which spell is the best one to use." Dumbledore reported towards the other members of the Phoenix. 

"Who will go when we find out whiz spell is best to uze?" Fleur asked. 

"We will determine that when come to that point." 

"By the Daily Prophet more and more crazy theories are coming forward. I can barely stop them from appearing in the paper. It's lucky that we don't have Rita Skeeter on the paper anymore. We must hurry with getting them home. I don't know how much longer I can keep this up." Anna Cochius, the connection with the Daily Prophet said.

The other members voiced their agreement. 

"Another point, Dumbledore. How is the training of the students progressing?" 

"Progressing according to schedule. In slightly more than two weeks time the students have learned quite some dueling spells. We also have started to see which students will be best to join the more specialized groups." Minerva reported. 

The meeting continued for some time. 

***

They met the first enemies just a hallway away. Five aliens with gray skin and heavy bone ridges in the neck. Immediately when they spotted the five they started firing at them. 

Ginny, Hermione and Ron dove aside. Harry and Sirius remained standing, wands out and cast together: "Defendo circulaire." 

"What the heck are those?" Ron asked, while he stood up, strengthening the incantation. 

Hermione and Ginny did the same. Both cast the same incantation the males had cast, creating a very powerful shield. It stopped all compressor fire. 

Hermione studied them carefully. "It are Cardassians." she declared.

"Cardi-whats?" Ron exclaimed. 

"I don't have the time to give you a long rundown on them. Just keep in mind that they are a very aggressive species." Hermione said. "They are stopping with firing." 

All five raised their wands again. As soon as the latest fiery streak had been absorbed, all five cast: "Release." 

A blast of green power fired back, knocking the Cardassians out. Hermione immediately put full body binds on them. 

"Are we leaving them just here?" Ginny asked. 

"We will put them out of the way." Ron walked over, tied them up for extra security, cast 'Mobilicorpus' and floated them to a niche in the hallway. 

After that Harry whipped out his invisibility cloak and all got under it.

  
***

They steadily sneaked trough the hallway's, encountering one more group of Cardassians. They quickly took them out with a few powerful stunners, bound them and put them also in a niche. 

They didn't encounter any Death Eaters yet, they knew that they had to get to the bridge as soon as possible. As they could sense the dark magical energy from the Death Eathers, the Death Eaters could sense their white magic. 

Arrived by the turbolift, Harry quickly keyed in the special code they had gotten to use in emergencies. 

***

"Return fire, Mr. Tarzar. Full spread of quantum torpedo's." Picard ordered. "Mr. Data, how did they get in so easily?" 

Fingers flew as Data worked his console. "I am detecting several energy signatures. They match with energy signatures when magic is used." he reported. 

"Voldemort and Cardassians?" Will Riker asked. 

"Doesn't seem impossible to me." Deanna added. 

Suddenly turbolift doors opened. Picard whirled around, but didn't see anyone. However, he heard footsteps. Then he heard a swishing sound and their magical guests were revealed. Harry was holding some kind of silvery cloth.

"What is going on?" Harry asked. "We have encountered some of Car… what did you call them, Mione?" 

"Cardassians. They are stunned and bound in niches. We also know that there are eight Death Eaters aboard." 

"They have been teleported in by magical means. We have detected several magical signatures over the ship." Data told them. 

Captain Picard gave a quick overview what had been happening. While talking Enterprise and the three Galor class warships on the viewing screen kept exchanging shots and the security teams of Lieutenant Tarzar started with cleaning up Cardassians. After the short overview Ginny and Rpm both reached out to search Death Eaters again.

When Ginny opened her eyes again, she spoke quickly: "The Death Eaters are quite close together. Might I suggest that the five of us go and try to take them out?" 

"Okay." 

"Wait. Can I place a shield around the bridge which stops Death Eaters from entering? Everyone else can enter." Hermione asked. 

Picard quickly gave his permission and Hermione moved out to the middle of the bridge. She took her wand out, closed her eyes and started to speak softly. It was a long spell and it seemed to be several languages. 

A few moments later a gold glow was released from Hermione and it covered the bridge walls. Hermione opened her eyes again and left quickly with Harry, Ron, Ginny and Sirius. 

***

Outside the bridge they quickly checked if their probe was still right and then started moving in the direction of the Death Eaters. 

The few Cardassians they encountered were easily stunned. However, that changed when they ran into a group of more than fifty Cardassians who were listening to some orders. 

Ron and Hermione remained behind to keep them occupied, while the other three continued.

***

"Sir, a message from Starfleet in San Francisco." 

"Tell them that we will call back in a few hours. What is the status of the ships?" Will called.

"Shields are weakening on the main vessel. Weapon arrays of one other ships are destroyed." Data reported. 

"Target the weapon arrays of the other vessels." Picard ordered quickly. "What is the status of clearing the Cardassians?" 

***

"Ron, any bright idea's?" Hermione called as she and Ron circled the Cardassians. 

"How about just hitting them hard and fast?" Ron called back. 

"Will do for now… Expelliarmus!" Four or five Cardassian compressors flew towards her. Then she started sending Stupify's in the crowd.

Ron in the meantime chose a bit more aggressive approach, sending severing curses into the group. 

"Take it a bit easy, Ron. These are living beings. Perhaps under Imperius." 

"Sorry mother. Mione, look out!" 

Hermione swiveled around, just in time to see a Cardassian approaching with a large knife. "Is this necessary?" she called. 

The grey alien just grumbled a bit. 

"I take it is." 

Then the Cardassians was upon her. First he hit her wrist, knocking her wand away. Hermione dove under the second punch and snatched her boo staff from her belt. Expanding it on the rise, she was just in time to block a vicious downward stab. 

Hermione blocked the swipe, stood upright and took a small step back to get a better position. 

"Mione, hurry up a bit. I can't keep over forty of them of your back forever." Ron called. 

"I know." With that Hermione turned into a whirlwind of movement. 

***

Ginny, Sirius and Harry ran the rest of their way. Luckily they encountered no further obstacles. The Cardassians were probably busy with Ron and Hermione. 

"Why did Lord Voldemort sent us here? I can't understand this… device." 

Sirius suddenly stopped, holding up his hand. Ginny and Harry stopped a step later. 

"That doesn't matter. JUST DO YOUR JOB." 

"Avery, you try this." 

"It appears to be three Death Eaters." Ginny whispered.

"What about a little game?" Sirius said. 

"What did you have in mind?" Harry inquired softly.

Sirius quickly whispered his plan to the two teens. Slowly two small smiles emerged. 

***

Hermione finally gave the alien a big whack on the nose, knocking him out at last. "Sorry it took so long." 

"Doesn't matter. Just get your wand and give me a hand here." 

Hermione held out her hand, focused and her wand flew back to her hand. A trick they had spent quite some practicing in their free time last summer. 

She swiveled around again, standing at Ron's side. Over thirty Cardassians were lying on the ground, but the remaining twenty looked menacing enough.

***

Avery looked up from the console he was tinkering with after hearing footsteps. His companions did the same. They were a bit surprised at the sight. 

Harry Potter was standing in the middle of the hallway. He was smiling happily at them and he was waving his hand. 

The three men immediately reached for their wands, but Harry didn't give them the time to aim at him. As soon as he saw their hands moving he disappeared around the corner.

The three men ran after him, but just after rounding the corner they fell out of pace. Harry, Ginny and Sirius were standing there, wands out and faces grim. 

***

"Aegis!" Ron firmly cast a different form of shield spell. This spell kept shots inside, but spells could penetrate it. They had been avoiding shots for several minutes now and the spells they fired weren't having enough success. 

"Why didn't you think of this before?" 

"I was trying to keep your skin intact. And we know quite some spells. It takes some time for a good one to pop up." 

"At least we can wrap this up. Stupefy! Stupefy! Stupefy!" Hermione started sending a volley of spells into the bubble with the contained Cardassians. 

"This is a lot more effective." Ron said. "Stupefy!" 

***

"Status of the ships, Mr. Data?" 

"Shields down on two vessels. Weapon arrays on one ship destroyed, severely damaged on the two others." Data reported.

***

"Well, well, well. Looking for a little battle, guys?" Sirius snarled. 

"If you think you're up to it. Crucio!" 

Sirius quickly jumped aside and Harry and Ginny jumped into action. 

"Expelliarmus!" both shouted. 

Two of the Death Eaters jumped aside, the third ones wand flew towards Ginny. She caught it and safely tucked it away in her belt. "Something for Mione to look at later. Mutari Aurum."

Her spell hit the unarmed Death Eater and the plump, short figure changed into a golden statue. "Not really a smart. But then again, most of them aren't too smart…" Ginny commented softly to herself.

Harry and Sirius had in the meantime engaged in a fierce duel. Each handled a Death Eater. The fight was vicious, since the Dark side was using Unforgivable Curses. 

***

"This should finish them." Ron commented. 

He and Hermione had stunned all remaining Cardassians. Then he had nullified the shield and now they were using some massive binding spells, closing of with an untouchable charm. 

Hermione glanced over her shoulder. "Ron, small group of Cardassians coming up behind us." 

Ron also glanced over his shoulder. "Let's run for it." 

Immediately both ran away, in the direction their friends had gone. 

***

"Avada Kedavra." Harry ducked the spell thrown at him and quickly countered with a severing curse. 

It hit the Death Eater full one, but even with blood staining the white mask he wore, he didn't want to give up. "Deslavo." 

The ball of light exploded before Harry's feet, blowing him back into the wall. He lost his wand in the few seconds everything became black. Then his head cleared a bit, just in time to roll aside from the down ward knife slash. 

Quickly reaching under his green robe, he grabbed his dagger…

***

Sirius in the meantime had nearly missed several Crucio's and one Avada Kedevra. 

Suddenly he heard running footsteps behind him. Ducking he glanced over his shoulder. Ron and Hermione were approaching fast, a small group of Cardassians following them. 

Behind him he heard Ginny catching the Death Eater Harry was fighting with a stunning spell. 

He heard two faint 'plofs' of Hermione and Ron hitting them the ground, them calling out a warining, three more 'plofs' of Ginny, Harry and the Death Eater before him. 

Then there was only searing pain in his chest and everything became black... 

***

Harry saw Sirius getting hit by several blasts of the Cardasssians compressors. He heard him yelling of pain and the thud on the ground. 

And a rage flames up in his mind. 

***

Ginny crawled to Sirius side in seconds. One glance was enough to tell him that he was going to die if she didn't act. 

She pulled out her wand, drew a pentagram on Sirius' forehead, and pointed the wand at her own heart. Then she muttered "Vivante." Directly she started to feel the tickly feeling flowing to her heart and then flowing out. 

Then she directed the wand before her, focused on Sickbay and muttered: "Pario Foris." A whirlpool of light appeared before them and it transported them to Sickbay. 

***

Harry came quickly to his feet. He put his dagger away and summoned his wand to his hand. 

Shots were still being fired, but somehow a very powerful shield around him had sprung to life. 

Hermione fired a quickly stunner at remaining Death Eater, then stared at Harry. She had seen the fire in his eyes before. She glanced at Ron and knew he had recognized it also. 

Harry had flames dancing inside his emerald green eyes. Suddenly flames around his feet sprang to live. 

Hermione summoned the Death Eaters towards her. Ron also scooted over and both cast a powerful shielding charm. 

The flames continued to grow until they surrounded Harry with their fiery blaze. 

"Flama Tempastas." 


	11. Flama Tempastas

Chapter Eleven

Flama Tempastas

"Flamas Tempastas."

Hermione winced as the hot, red-yellow-orange flames rushed forward and engulfed the hallway. 

***

Ginny landed in the middle of the hub bub that was Sickbay at the moment. She quickly got up from the ground. 

"Ginny, what happened?" Alyssa Ogawa was standing besides her. 

"At least five times hit by Cardassians compressors. Sorry to drop in so sudden." She quickly scrambled to her feet. 

"Get him on the bio bed over there. Dr. Selar!" Alyssa called.

The petite Vulcan doctor hurried over, while Ginny levitated Sirius. Selar grabbed a tricorder and also Ginny and Alyssa moved over to assist her. 

"What happened, Miss Weasley?" 

"He was hit at least five times by Cardassian compressors. I tied my life force to his…" 

***

"Sir, I am detecting a strong surge of magical energy on Deck 6. I am also detecting a sudden rise in temperature." Data reported. 

Deanna hit her com-badge. "Troi to Hermione Granger." 

"Hermione here." 

"What's going on? We are detecting a powerful surge of magic. It's accompanied with a abnormal high temperature." 

"Uh… Uh… Sirius got hurt badly. Ginny has taken him to Sickbay... Uh… But Harry got a little mad. And he is… expressing it." 

"You call this a little?" 

"Don't worry. It will be over in a few moments. Nor we or the ship will be hurt. Just a few Cardassians. Hermione out."

***

"Call them back." The high voice said. 

Two masked figures before him bowed and apparated away. 

"The scare should have enough for know." 

***

"I am reading multiple magical signs. Several life signs are disappearing." Data reported.

"Captain, the ships engines are powering up. They are retreating." Tarzar reported. 

"Are there any Death Eaters left?"

"Unreadable." 

Captain Picard hit his com-badge. "Picard to Granger." 

"Yes, Captain?" Hermiones voice sounded. 

"The Cardassians are retreating. Are there any Death Eaters left?" 

It was silent for a moment. Picard supposed they were performing their scan. 

"Except the three we have captured here, no more Death Eaters left." Ron reported. 

"Ron, has Harry calmed down?" Counselor Troi asked. 

"Yes. Hermione is taking care of him now. Lieutenant Tarzar?" 

"Yes, Mr. Weasley?" 

"Could I meet you at the brig with the Death Eaters? There are some additional security measures that should be taken with them." 

"Go, Mr. Tarzar. Report back in fifteen minutes." Picard ordered. 

The man nodded and quickly left the room. Picard closed the connection. 

***

"Is he okay, Mione?" 

"I think he's just knocked out. Exhausted." Hermione was kneeling besides an unconscious Harry. 

The hallway around him was bit scarred, but no major damage. Hermione, Ron and the Death Eaters were also unscathed, but the group Cardassians at the end of the hallway hadn't weathered the fire storm so well. 

Ron walked over to them. They were burned very badly, but still alive. He pulled out his wand and stunned them. Then he placed a stasis spell on them that kept their condition from getting any better or worse. 

"Ron, I will see you in a few moments. I will warn some people in Sickbay about the Cardassians." Hermione summoned the same whirlpool Ginny had and both Harry and Hermione disappeared a few moments later. 

Ron quickly levitated the two stunned Death Eaters and the golden statue and made way to the brig.

***

Hermione landed in Sickbay. Everyone was still running around. 

"Mione?" She heard Ginny's voice. 

"Over here, Gin." The red-headed girl kneeled down besides them, tricorder in her hand. 

"What happened?" She asked. 

"He got a little mad. Used the 'Flama Tempastas'. Knocked him out a bit. How is Sirius? And what are you doing here?"

"It was tricky for a few moments. I kept him stable with the Vivante spell. It will be a day or two before he can leave Sickbay, but he will be fine. Dr. Selar asked if I wanted to help with triage and some of the light cases. Where is Ron?" Ginny asked, while scanning Harry. 

"Installing additional security in the Death Eater brig. Is Harry okay?"

"He will fine. But I intend to keep him here until he wakes up." Ginny stood up from the floor and pulled out her wand. She levitated Harry towards a cot in the end of Sickbay. 

She turned towards Hermione again and handed her the Death Eater wand she still had. "This is something you know what to do with." 

"Thanks. I will leave you to your work. But who should I warn about a few badly burned Cardassians? They have a few spells on them."

"Doctor Selar. Over there." Ginny pointed in the right direction.

Ginny quickly went over to the next patient and after Hermione had spoken to Dr. Selar she went towards the brig. 

***

"Finite Incatatem." Ron intoned. The golden statue changed back into a man and Ron directly stunned him. 

Quickly he removed the two wands and handed them to Tarzar. Then he pulled the masks away. At one point a feral grin slowly spread on his face. 

The door opened and Hermione ran in. "Harry is okay. And Sirius will be fine to… What are you smiling about?" He pointed at the Death Eaters and she looked at their faces. It took a few moments, but the same feral grin spread over her face. 

"Well, well, well. Welcome on the Enterprise, Wormtail." Ron said. 

"Who is this?" Tarzar asked. 

"This is the man who busted my friends godfather. When we go back he will finally be free." Ron said. 

Hermione quickly took the wands from Tarzar and marked them. "As soon as we have cleared this up, I will start on the reports for the Order." 

Ron made a movement to levitate to Death Eaters, but Hermione held up her hand. "I want to put up a special kind of shield inside. It makes it impossible to use technology inside it, except special charmed object." Hermione stepped inside and started muttering a long, complicated spell. Then she charmed the machines in the cell and stepped out. 

Ron levitated the Death Eaters in the brig and the lieutenant activated the force field. Ron turned towards him. "Is it okay if we put up a couple of other wards?" 

The man nodded and this time Ron started muttering spells. When he was finished Hermione asked which spells he had put up. 

"Anti-apparition wards, a shield against scanning and telepathic contacts and things like that. And they can't send spells out, but we can send spells in." Ron said.

"Should we wake them?" Hermione asked. 

"I don't know what you think, lieutenant, but I think it's best to let them out for some time. In any case until we have everything cleared up." Ron said. 

Tarzar agreed with Ron. He went back to the bridge, leaving a trusted Ensign behind to guard the sleeping Death Eaters. 

When Ron and Hermione left the brig, Ron asked: "Is a shield like that also surrounding Hogwarts? Is that why technology can't be used inside Hogwarts?" 

Hermione nodded. "Dumbledore found it a part of my special training. They have taught me to charm a smaller space. Also they taught me to charm the machines. I will show you, Harry and Ginny to charm machines when everything has calmed down." 

Ron went to check the ship for any magical tricks that might have been left behind, while Hermione brought the wands to her quarters and then reporting to the bridge about there fights. 

***

Sickbay finally started to clear up. The lightly wounded had been healed and send away, while the serious cases were resting on the biobeds.

Ginny was sitting besides Sirius, now and then glancing at Harry. 

"You did good work, Ginny." A voice sounded behind her. 

"Thank you, Doctor Crusher. I just did what I could. I am just glad that Sirius and Harry are okay." 

"It was indeed quite close with Sirius. What was the spell you used?" 

"It's a spell that ties my life force to his. Hermione started out from a very old spell. She worked most of the kinks out, but the disadvantage is that only women can cast it." 

Both looked up when a medic came hurrying in. "Doctor, over sixty unconscious people. The readings are very weird. It was the area where five of those masked men disappeared." he reported. 

Ginny jumped to her feet. "Would you mind if come with you? I think… it might be some kind of curse." 

Beverly nodded and both redheads grabbed their med kits and followed the medic. 

***

Hermione calmly took the shields down she had installed on the bridge. Then she gazed at the gathered senior crew, except Beverly. 

"Are you okay, Hermione?" Deanna asked. 

"I am fine. We have caught three Death Eaters. One of them is the man who busted Sirius." A small smile glided over her face. "When we are home, he will finally be free." 

"Are Harry and Sirius okay?" Will Riker asked. 

"From what Ginny told me they will be. Are there many injured?" 

"We still don't have a final count, but it were mostly lightly wounded." 

***

Ginny looked over the small mess hall. People in all kinds of ages were lying unconscious. Beverly kneeled down at the nearest one to take a scan. Ginny did the same with another. 

The scan didn't give her anything to base the rising suspicion in her mind, but she couldn't quash it. She stood and pulled out her wand. "Relevatio."

All the unconscious people in the room lighted up in a strange purple-green color. 

Ginny cancelled the spell, muttered a dirty word and hit her com-badge. "Ron, Mione, get your buts over here. We have over sixty cases here of people hit with Caleidi." 

"What?!" Ron's voice sounded. 

"Start counter cursing, Gin. We will be there in a few seconds. Mione out." 

Ginny aimed her wand at the people and start muttering: "Removare Caleidi. Removare Caleidi. Removare Caleidi. Removare Caleidi." Each time she pointed at someone else. 

A few seconds later Ron and Mione appeared in two whirlpools of light. Both pointed their wands and started muttering: "Removare Caleidi. Removare Caleidi." 

***

Ginny, Ron and Hermione looked as the people were loaded on anti-grav stretchers. They had counter cursed everyone, but they didn't know how much time it took.

Beverly walked over to them. "Why you were so panicked, Ginny?" 

"They were cursed with the Calideius curse. It's a very nasty curse. It's like a magical coma which doesn't end if the counter curse is not performed in time. How much time you have to perform the counter curse varies from person to person. But so far, nobody is known who has woken up after the curse was on him for more than an hour. Even half an hour is already a dangerous time. The younger or smaller the person is, the faster the counter curse has to be performed. The longer the person suffers from the curse, the more time it takes to recover. The spell was on them for about twenty minutes." Ginny explained. 

Hermione saw Beverly's eyes widening. "We were on time. Ron, had you finished checking the ship?"

"No, I had hardly gotten started when received Ginny's hail." 

"Do you need my help?" Hermione asked. 

"No, just get started on the reports for the order. Ginny, do you need anything further?" 

"No. I will help to deal with explaining the curse and a report. I will call you if Sirius or Harry wakes up." Ginny replied quickly. 

Beverly in the meantime answered a hail about a group of seriously burned Cardassians. As she closed the call of, she turned to the three standing there. "Ginny, can you take over here? In sickbay dr. Selar will help. I have to deal with some Cardassians injuries." 

Ginny looked slightly surprised, but then nodded. Ron, Hermione and Beverly ran of to do their jobs. Ginny looked after them, but then started to levitate some small children on stretchers, in the meantime keeping an eye on everything and sometimes giving an order. 

***

Hermione was about to open the door to her quarters to start on the reports, when her com-badge chirped again. "Hermione here." 

"It's Dr. Crusher. I am with the Cardassians here. There are several with all kinds of spells on them. Would you mind coming here and cancel them? I know you want to get your reports started, but Ginny is still busy in Sickbay and from what I understood I think the ship must be checked." 

"No problem. If you don't mind I am gonna do some tests I need for in the reports."

"That's okay. We are in Cargo bay 3."

"I am on my way." 

***

"Where are the ships now?" Picard asked. 

"They are on course to the closest M-class planet. It's still several light years away." Data reported. 

"Damage report." 

"Forward and aft shields are severely damaged. The maximum warp we can manage right now is warp three." Data reported. 

"Get repair teams on it right now." Picard hit him com badge. "Picard to Tarzar."

"Yes Captain?"

"What is your status?" 

"Three Death Eaters are apprehended and in the brig. We have over fifty Cardassians in Cargo Bay three." 

"Thanks, Lieutenant." 

***

Hermione was let in by two men with phaser riffles. In the back there was a force field were several Cardassians were walking around, glaring at the security people before the force field. Before the force fields were several cots where unconscious Cardassians laid. Medical and security personnel were bustling among them.

"Sorry Hermione. This already the second time someone is keeping you from doing your job." 

"That doesn't matter. In any case I needed to check to them for Imperius." Hermione pulled out her wand and cast: "Relevatio." 

Around several Cardassians on the cots colors lighted up. Around several of them were red glows. With a few others it was mixed with some orange. 

"Well, they aren't under Imperius. The ones with the red glow are stunned. The ones with the orange mixed in have a stasis spell them. Those are the Cardassians Harry hit. This spell keeps their condition from changing." Hermione explained. 

"Can you undo all the spells?" Beverly asked. 

Hermione nodded and went to work. 

***

Harry woke up. To his surprise his head wasn't pounding. Still, his eyes lids felt incredibly heavy. He set himself to the task of opening them. 

When he had opened them, he immediately recognized his surroundings as Sickbay. However, he wasn't lying on a biobed, but on a cot. 

Slowly he pushed himself up and looked around, seeing where Sirius was lying. He spotted him on the biobed a little end away. 

"Ah, you're awake. How are you feeling?" a voice said. 

Harry looked in the direction of the voice to see Alyssa Ogawa standing there. 

"I am fine. How long have I been out? How is Sirius doing? And where is everyone?" he asked. 

"You have been out for about eight hours. It's now seven o'clock. Your godfather is fine. Ginny got him here on time. Dr. Crusher wants to keep him here for one or two days. Your friends are in a meeting…" 

Harry started to get up. 

"Where you're not going for now… (Here Harry sent a glare) You can sit with your godfather if you want, but you can't leave sickbay yet." Alyssa finished her sentence. 

Harry got out of bed and walked over to the bed his godfather was laying. Alyssa walked over to him with a chair in one hand and a tricorder in her other. Harry sat down and took Sirius' hand, hardly noticing Alyssa scanning him. 

His godfather was very pale, but his breathing was deep and regular. Harry gripped his hand tighter and settled in for a long wait. 

***

The meeting had already been going on for some time and they had discussed most of the attack. Beverly gave the medical reports, Geordi and Data several status reports, Deanna the civilian reports and several others.

Finally Picard turned to the teens. "What do you think what Voldemort's is purpose with this attack?" 

"The only reason I can think of is to shake us up." Ron said. "He could have put in much more effort. The Death Eathers didn't use Avada Kedavra or any other Unforgivable Curse, except when they were dueling us. And they didn't even try to go to the bridge. He just let the Cardassians run lose. If he wanted something specific, he would have put them under Imperius. And even with the Caleidi…" 

"Cardassians are very resistant to mental attacks. Could they have shaken the curse of?" Deanna asked.

"I don't think so. Hermione would have found traces on them if they had been put under it. Even if they had shaken it of or if the curse had been removed." 

Finally Picard, after the attack had discussed, steered the conversation to the reaction of Starfleet. "A ship is being sent to pick up the Cardassians. They also agreed to keep the Death Eaters here. But there was also some other news. They think they have found a way to get you home. It's gonna take a least six weeks before they can try it out, but there is hope." 

The slightly gloomy faces of Ginny, Hermione and Ron brightened a bit. Their faces brightened even more when Alyssa radioed that Harry had wakened. 

***

Outside the meeting room Hermione spoke to Deanna for a few moments after the meeting. "Counselor, would you mind helping me tomorrow if I am gonna question the Death Eaters?" 

"Of course, Mione. Good luck with your reports for now." Deanna went in the direction of her office. 

Hermione continued towards her quarters when she heard a voice call her. "Damien. Are you okay?" 

"I am fine. I had something else to ask. Would you like to go to dinner with me in a few days?" Damien asked. 

"Great timing, Damien. But yes, I would like that." 

The man smiled and both continued on their way.

***

Ginny and Beverly arrived in Sickbay after a detour to the Cardassian prisoner bay because they had to check upon some prisoners. 

"Some of the people put under Caleidi should start to wake up any moment." Ginny said. 

Beverly nodded. "Do you have much experience with Caleidi?" 

"Some. The summer train home was attacked last year. There were no teachers aboard. Harry took charge and we managed to fend the Death Eaters of with help of the most elder students. But several of the younger students were hit by Caleidi. Me and the sixth and seventh year students who follow Healing Magic took care of them. Later Madam Pomfrey arrived with the rest of the Order and I remained to help, while the other students went home." 

They had arrived by Sickbay. Inside everything was quite calm. All the patients were sleeping and the only ones awake were a couple nurses. 

But these nurses were standing cluttered between the biobeds. Ginny and Beverly made their way over and Ginny had to hold her laugh. 

Dr. Selar was lying on the ground. Harry was sleeping peacefully with his head on the edge of his godfather's biobed. And all the nurses were standing there with somewhat astonished looks on their face. 

"What happened?" Beverly asked. 

Alyssa stepped forward and answered. "Harry had fallen asleep and Dr. Selar woke him to tell him that he should return his bed. He refused and it became a bit of a discussion. Harry pulled out his wand; said something and Dr. Selar fell to the ground. Harry just went back to sleep." 

Ginny laughed. "He probably just stunned her." Ginny pulled out her wand and woke Dr. Selar. Then she levitated Harry back to his cot, changed his clothes into some night clothes with the help of a spell and pulled the blankets over him. His wand she put with his other weapons. 

Beverly in the meantime had filled a hypospray and pressed it to Harry's neck. "To make sure he will sleep trough the night." She clarified at Ginny's questioning look. 

Ginny nodded. Then she turned to Dr. Selar. "Do you mind if I give you some advice?" At the headshake she continued: "If you want to separate Harry and Sirius when one of them is hurt, just sedate the healthy one. Learned that from my own experience." Then she looked at Dr. Crusher. "Shall we get started on those reports?" 

Beverly smiled and both redheads walked over to office. 

***

It was around two o'clock when Beverly and Ginny emerged from the office. 

Ginny let out a huge yawn. "Finally those reports are ready." 

Beverly smiled at her reaction. "I must agree with you. Come, I will walk with you to your quarters." 

"Okay. Just a moment." Ginny gathered her weapons and medical kit, walked over to peek Harry on his forehead and stroked some hair out of Sirius' eyes. Beverly also gathered her kit. 

Both walked together, chatting about a few little things. 

Suddenly Ginny hit her head. "Stupid." 

"What?" 

"I had meant after the meeting to get Hermione and Ron with me. To have them checked out. They said they weren't hurt, but they only come if they at least have broken something. Especially Ron." Ginny explained. Then she sighed. "And to convince them now..." 

Beverly smiled. "Well, I think I can help a bit with that. Have you already been checked out?" 

Ginny shook her head. "I haven't been hit anywhere." 

"Okay, here is the deal. I will make sure you two friends get checked out, but after that I also check you." 

"It's a deal." 

***

"Hermione, isn't it time to go to sleep? You have been working almost after we came back form that meeting." Ron exclaimed almost desperate. 

"I am almost finished." 

"Mione, you said that an hour ago." Ron looked up when the door opened. 

Beverly and Ginny entered. Both women greeted them. 

"Good to see you. Perhaps you can help to convince this stubborn one it's time to go to sleep." Ron said. 

Hermione looked up. "I am almost finished." Then she turned towards Beverly and Ginny. "How are Harry and Sirius?" 

"You know Harry has woken up. He sat with Sirius for a few moments and fell asleep again. When Dr. Selar woke him to tell him he should go to bed, he stunned her and went back to sleep." Ginny laughed, just like the other three. 

"What did you do?" Hermione asked. 

"I woke her and levitated him in bed. Beverly gave him something so he would sleep through the night. And I put his wand away." Ginny explained.

"You might want do the same with Sirius' wand. He hates hospitals or everything remotely related to that. If he wakes up tomorrow with his wand in reach, you can expect everybody stunned and Sirius somewhere not findable on the ship." Ron said. 

"You might want to warn Rose, Ginny. But while you do that… Ron, I want you to lay down somewhere so I can check you out." Beverly said. 

"What? But… I am fine." Ron sputtered. He turned towards Ginny and narrowed his eyes. "You are behind this, aren't you?" 

"Ron, Ginny is behind nothing. She and Hermione are after you." Beverly said. 

Hermione looked up from where she was putting her parchments away. "You can use the bedroom." 

Beverly glared at Ron for a second then walked into the direction of the bedroom. Ron sighed and followed. 

After they had disappeared, Hermione and Ginny burst out laughing. "You know, Gin, sometimes Dr. Crusher reminds me a bit of your mother. When did you start calling her Beverly?" 

"Tonight, during work. I am gonna hail Rose." Hermione continued to put her papers away, while Ginny tapped her com-badge. "Ginny to Haley." 

"Haley here." 

"Rose, you might want to make sure that Mr. Black's wand is tucked away. My brother thinks otherwise you might end up like Dr. Selar this evening. And I must agree with him." Ginny told her. 

"Thanks for the warning. I will make sure. Rose out." 

Both girls laughed again and Ron came out of the bedroom. At the girls expectant looks, he said: "Nothing wrong. She only ordered me to go bed. Goodnight. O yeah, Mione, you're in."

While Ron went to his and Harry's quarters, Hermoine walked towards the bedroom. She was also pronounced healthy, just like Ginny a few minutes later. Both said goodnight to Beverly and went to bed. 

__

A/N I must thank Fairytale for letting me use her Caleidius curse. 


	12. Aftermath

Chapter 12

Aftermath

Sirius felt himself waking up. This time he didn't have a pounding headache, but the ache in his chest. He tried to remember what had happened.  

Running footsteps, Ginny catching the Death Eater Harry was fighting with a stunning spell, several faint 'plofs', searing pain in his chest and then blackness. 

He had been hit with Cardassians weapons. Realizing this he set about opening his eyes. Knowing his godson and his friends they would be very worried. 

When he had managed his, he looked around his. Groaning softly, he realized he was in sickbay. 

"Welcome back, Mr. Black." He heard a voice say. 

Sirius turned his head in the direction of the sound to see Counselor Troi standing at his side and he felt directly very awake and coherent. He smiled and reached for her hand. "You didn't get hurt yesterday?" 

"I sat on the bridge all the time. I am fine." she answered.    

He lifted her hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss on it. "Good." 

Deanna looked over her shoulder when a feeling of anger and jealousy assaulted her. She saw Will standing in the door opening. 

"What are doing here so early, Deanna?" Will asked. "It's only seven o'clock." 

"Hermione and I agreed to meet in fifteen minutes to have breakfast together. I just came by to see if Harry or Mr. Black were already awake." Deanna explained. 

"Well, you can tell her that Harry is awake." Harry's voice sounded behind them. 

Deanna and Will looked over their shoulders to see Harry sitting up on his cot. 

Harry looked around to see Sirius awake. A broad smile spread over his face and he jumped on his feet. "You're awake!" 

"Yes, I am awake. Were you worried, kiddo?"

"What did you think, Sirius?" Harry said. 

"One can guess. How did you end up here?" Sirius asked.

"He got a bit mad and whipped himself out, frying some Cardassians in the process." Ginny said from were she entered with Beverly. "Counselor, Hermione already was looking for you." 

"It's still early. Well, I guess I will see you later then." Deanna left sickbay, Will after her. 

Ginny and Beverly walked over to the biobed where Sirius was lying. "Good to see you both awake. " Beverly said. 

Sirius was still staring a bit at Harry. "Why did you use the firestorm, kiddo?" 

Harry shrugged. "I got a bit pissed." 

Beverly in the meantime had taken a tricorder and was taking scans from the both of them. "Well, Harry. You're free to go. And you will stay here till at least tomorrow morning, Mr. Black." She laughed at Sirius' frown. "Hermione and Ginny already warned me."   

Ginny had also taken a tricorder, but was scanning several victims of the Caleidius curse. "I heard from Rose that several already had woken up this night." she said. Looking at Harry and Sirius she explained what had happened yesterday with the Caleidius curse.         

***

"What can you tell me about the Death Eaters we have?" Deanna asked. 

Hermione and Deanna were enjoying a light breakfast in Ten Forward. While eating they discussed the interrogation of the Death Eaters. 

"Well, you know the story behind Peter Pettigrew. The two others are Avery and Nott. They are Death Eaters from the first hour and quite loyal to Voldemort, but they are not too bright. Voldemort likes to use them for little dirty jobs. They are both not married; no children and they usually work as handy men for the Ministry. They come from pure-blooded wizarding families and those families are familiar as ones who want to purify the wizarding world."

"What's the most important information we want from them?" 

"Any plans Voldemort is up to. Can he travel back and fort into time? Anything useful." 

"It won't be easy to get that information." Deanna commented.

"Yeah, that's why I wanted ask your help. Whatever they tell us voluntarily, I have no way to determine if it's true. I know how to make Veritaserum, but I rather not use that. I don't have enough experience with it to use it alone." 

"Well, if you are finished with your breakfast, we can get started." Deanna said. 

Hermione nodded and both women left Ten Forward. 

***

Ron looked up from the maps where he working on, when the chime rang. "Come in." 

The door opened to show Will Riker. "Hello Mr. Weasley." 

"Hello Commander. Is there anything I can do for you?" Ron asked. 

"Well, Miss Granger told me something about that you had a few ideas to place some magical wards around the ship in case to attack the ship again."

"It was an idea I got last night and I decided to see if could up with something." 

"I spoke with Captain Picard and Lieutenant Tarzar about your idea. They decided it wasn't a bad idea. Would you…?" 

"I was already working on it. Ginny told me that Harry was almost finished in Sickbay. We can work on it with the two of us." 

"Let me know if you got something." 

Ron nodded and went back to work, while Will went back to the bridge. 

***

"Ginny, who exactly are the Death Eaters we caught yesterday?" Harry asked. 

Ginnny looked at surprised. "No one told you yet? Well, we caught three of them. Avery, Nott and… Wormtail." At the last words she smiled softly. 

Harry looked up, surprised. "We finally have him?" 

Ginny nodded. 

Harry started to grin and he looked over at Sirius. "Finally…" 

"What's so funny, Harry?" Sirius called. 

"The fact that we have Pettigrew in the brig." Harry answered. 

Sirius however didn't smile, but got a murderous look on his face. He started to get up, but Ginny had already reacted. 

"Lie down, Sirius. He is safely in the brig, with several wards around him. You are still weak and you need to rest some more. Try to get some sleep. Try to dream about your new life when we get back home." she said softly. She laid her hand on Sirius' shoulder and pushed him back on the biobed. 

Sirius relaxed at bit, laid back and closed his eyes. Within a few moments he had fallen asleep again. 

"Am I free to go? Ron wanted my help with something." Harry asked. 

Ginny nodded and Harry left sickbay. 

***

They weren't making much progress with the interrogation. Hermione sighed as she asked her last question at Avery. 

"That was the last, Avery. Stupefy!" 

"Try not to be so agitated, Hermione. We still have one to go." Deanna said. 

"I know. I just don't like we are getting anything more. But you're right. Perhaps we have more luck with Wormtail." With those words she levitated Avery to his cot and woke Wormtail. 

The short plump man stood up and looked around him. A shocked look appeared on his face, to be replaced slowly with fear as he recognized Hermione. 

"Hello Peter. You know, it's not me you have to fear. Those are Sirius, Ron and Harry. Perhaps even Remus when we're home." Hermione said, face carefully kept expressionless. 

She looked for a few moments as Wormtail slowly became pale. "I might be able to hold them back a bit. But I want something in return from you…" 

It took a few moments before the man found his voice. "What?" 

"Information. And don't try to lie to me. I might just decide to let one of the boys in." 

"How do you when I would lie?" The man seemed regain a little confidence. 

"Have you studied a bit of the galactic cultures in the time we live in now?" At the man's nod she continued. "Then you must know what a Betazoïd is. The woman with me is half-Betazoïd." She glanced at Deanna for a moment and saw the woman nod to her. 

***

"Thanks for the information, Peter. Stupefy!" Hermione finished her interrogation. Then she turned towards Deanna. "Was he completely honest?" 

"He's still hiding things, but what he told us is true. What is that scroll?"

"He said something about this being the spell. But I truly don't know how what he could have to do with that in his pocket, on an attack." Hermione opened the scroll and looked it over. "Holy shit." 

"What?" 

"Could we go to your office?" 

Deanna nodded and went on their way to Deanna's office.

***

 "You have done this before?"

"Only assisting. I was nervous as hell."  

"I sensed it. But what is it with that scroll?"    

They had arrived at Deanna's office and both took a place. Hermione rolled out the scroll and Deanna looked it over. It was full with symbols she didn't recognize. 

"What is this?" she asked. 

"I can't tell if it's the spell. The only thing I can tell is it's gonna be a hell of a job to translate it. Look, this is Arabic. This is Aramaic, here hieroglyphs, over there are Hebrew, and there is Latin, Runes, Greek, Sanskrit and even Chinese. The Greek and Latin are no problem, but the others…" 

"You know all these languages?" 

"I am fluent in Greek and Latin. The other's I can translate easily with the help of a few books, except for the Chinese. The problem will be combining it to the spell." 

"You could use the computer." 

"It's wizarding languages. It has some minimal differences with the normal languages, but those can be important. I rather translate it myself." 

"I have some time before my next patient arrives. I can make a report for you about the interrogation and you can get started with the translation then." 

"Thanks. Are you sure you have nothing else to do?"

"I wouldn't have offered otherwise. But one tip. First eat some lunch. We have been there for four hours." 

***

"There is nothing we can do anymore." the cold voice of Dr. Selar sounded and the click of a tricorder being closed. 

Ginny cast her downwards and bit her lip. A few tears threatened to slip from her eyes, but she blinked furiously to get them away.

A little boy, who had been cursed with the Caleidi, had suddenly gone into convulsions and his heart had stopped working. They had tried several things, but nothing had worked. 

Ginny looked up as Dr. Selar closed the boy's eyes. She slowly turned away from the bed. 

"Are you okay?" Alyssa asked. 

"Yeah, I am okay." 

Alyssa looked at the pale face, the bloodshot eyes and the bags under her eyes. "How much did you sleep last night, Ginny?" 

"I dunno. One, maybe two hours." 

"And you fought yesterday, worked a whole time in Sickbay. And you have been working here since seven this morning. More then five hours. We can manage it here without you. Go get some sleep."     

"Thanks Alyssa."  Ginny went quickly to her quarters. 

***

"Harry?" 

"Yes, Ron?" 

"Have you ever wondered about destiny?" 

Harry looked up from the maps he was working on. "Why are you asking me this?" 

"Don't you even wonder about it?" 

"Sure. People always tell me that it's my destiny to fight Voldemort. Perhaps not in those words, but… all the same. And all those things that have happened to me, or to you, Hermione and Ginny, seem a bit too much of a coincidence to me." 

"But who makes this destiny? A god or something like that? I have been reading about some planets. And most of them have religion with a higher force. One who makes destiny." 

"Again, why are you asking me this? I have thought about this a lot, but I couldn't work it out. So, I figured that when the answer was necessary, the answer would come." 

"Was it then destiny that made that I fell in love with Hermione?" 

"Fell in love? As a friend or more?" 

"What do you think?" 

"I get it, I get it. And I also get you're telling me this with a purpose." 

"How the hell am I gonna tell her?" 

Harry was silent for a moment. "I don't have any experience on this area. You should better ask Sirius."

"Not mentioning he is out cold in sickbay, I don't think…" 

"Okay. Maybe you're right. The only think I can say: be honest." 

"If that's so easy… Kinda keeps you wondering destiny, doesn't it…?"  

***

"Is it really not possible to get out of here?" 

Beverly sighed at what had to be Sirius' hundredth inquiry. She was very tempted to just let him walk out. Just sedating him was another option, but then it would start again in a few hours.  

At his hundred-and-one inquiry, she picked up a tricorder to scan him, while sorting out her ideas. When the scan was finished, she quickly checked the results and came to a conclusion. 

"Well, Mr. Black. I am prepared to let you go, but on a few conditions. First, you remain in bed. And I want someone to keep an eye on you there. Perhaps Ron, Harry, Ginny or Hermione would be to willing. And if I decide on your condition you should be back in sickbay, you won't protest." 

"Anything to get out of here." 

Beverly shook her head and hit her com-badge. Ron and Harry had a meeting with Tarzar in about ten minutes, Ginny had told with a choked voice that she wasn't feeling so well, but Hermione was willing to keep an eye on him if she could work on her translation. 

Ten minutes later Beverly had arranged for Sirius to be beamed into his quarters. It was a lot of trouble, but Beverly was anxious to lose her most difficult patient in quite some time for while. 

And Beverly went on her way to talk to Hermione for a moment. 

***

"This should work."

"I have dealt with a difficult Sirius before, Doctor. I am used to it." 

"I have no doubt in that… Hermione, something else, do you know what's wrong with Ginny? She sounded kinda distraught over the com." 

"No. When she came in I asked, but she refused to say anything."  

"Thank you. When you have any trouble, just warn me." 

Hermione nodded and settled back to her translation, while Beverly left Sirius quarters. 

***

Beverly rang the chime of the girl quarters with a thoughtful look in her eyes. Alyssa had told her about the death of the boy and Ginny's reaction to it. And now how she had sounded over the com…

The door opened and Beverly entered. She immediately saw Ginny sitting on the couch. She had pulled her knees to her chest and her head was resting on it, while staring into space. 

"Ginny?" 

Ginny seemed to be startled out of her reverie. "Oh Beverly… hi… Is… is there something I can do for you?" 

"No. Ginny, are you okay?" 

"I am fine. Why are you asking?" 

Beverly studied the girls face for a moment. Her hair was all askew; her face was pale with bags under her bloodshot eyes. "Because you don't really look or sound well." 

"I am just tired." 

Beverly didn't say anything. She just looked the girl in the eyes. 

Ginny placed her head back on her knees and stared into space for a few moments. Tears started to flow from her eyes. 

Beverly scooted closer and placed her hand on the girl's shoulder. "What's wrong, girl?" 

If it was the touch of question, Beverly didn't know, but suddenly Ginny hid her face in her arms and the flow of tears turned into body-racking sobs. Beverly reacted immediately and pulled the girl in her arms. It didn't matter that she had only had known Ginny for a few weeks or anything else. All that mattered was that her mother instincts told her that this girl needed the comfort of hug and a good cry. 

***

Beverly calmly held the girl as she sobbed. She rocked Ginny a bit and murmured soothing words. 

After twenty, twenty-five minutes the sobs calmed down and Beverly felt the girl stiffen in her arms. Ginny quickly pulled her self lose and murmured: "Sorry." 

"It doesn't matter, Ginny. Would you mind telling me what's wrong now?"'

"What isn't? We bring danger to the ship, even killing people. Friends and family have their life put in danger. The man I love is consumed by guilt on a regular base and is burdened with all kinds of expectation and there is hardly anything I can do. His best two friends don't have the time to realize that they are crazy about each other. And on a personal note… I am homesick as hell and the damn nightmares won't leave me alone…" she said with anger in her voice and continued spewing what bothered her. Then she suddenly stopped and she turned red again. "Sorry." 

"Ginny, stop making excuses. You just needed to throw it all out." 

Ginny just nodded.         

"And about bringing danger to the ship… we come across many dangers and this is just one more. The attack put the ship in danger, but if you and your friends wouldn't have been here there would be something else. You did what you could to stop the attack. Your friends and family might put their lives in danger, but don't you do the same? And I see you are always there when your friends need you, just like you must realize that they are there for you." 

Ginny remained silent, but listened carefully.

"Go to them if you need them. And if you don't feel comfortable talking to them, go to someone else. Come to me… go to Counselor Troi. Go to someone you feel comfortable with."

Ginny smiled a bit. "Thank you." 

"But I had a question. How often do you have those nightmares?" 

"Almost daily."

"Do you or Hermione know something you can make against nightmares?" 

"We know of a few things and we can make them. But the problem is that those things are very addictive. We spoke about it with the five of us, but we didn't want to take the risk without someone who had more expertise in the use of it. I have already decided when we are back it's the first area of medical studies I am gonna look into." Ginny told her.

"But how do keep going without that little sleep?"

"We know a very simple, but very effective potion for when we need it. It has immediate effect, but leaves the bloodstream quickly." 

"Did you take anything today?" 

"Only a bit this morning. It has left my body quite some time ago."   

Beverly nodded. "Then I am prescribing you something for the next few days. You need a few nights of good sleep. And now you are gonna catch some sleep. No offense Ginny, but you look like death warmed over." 

Beverly stood up and walked over to the door. "I am gonna fetch some for you. Get into bed; I will be back in a few moments." 

***

When Beverly returned, Ginny was wearing a long crème nightgown. 

"Ready?" 

Ginny nodded and nestled deeper into the bed. Beverly smiled and sat down on the edge of the bed. Ginny didn't look like the warrior Beverly knew she was. Now she looked like a frightened little girl. 

On a sudden hunch she tucked the blankets closer around the girl, like she had done with her own son years ago. Then she took the hypospray and injected the girl. 

Beverly smiled a bit when she saw that sleep overtook Ginny as soon as she closed her eyes. Softly she stood up, dimmed the light and left the quarters. 

***

Hermione worked calmly at the translation. The Greek and Latin parts were already translated and now she was working on the Aramaic part. A few hours had past since she had started watching over Sirius, but there hadn't been any sounds from the bedroom. And the times she had softly entered the bedroom she only saw Sirius sleeping quietly. 

***

"Why are you feeling so jealous?" 

Riker looked up form the schematics Harry and Ron had made. "What do you mean?  Feeling jealous?" 

"Feeling so jealous of Sirius Black." 

"I am not jealous of him." 

"Will, remember you're talking to empath." 

"I just don't like the way he's acting towards you." 

Deanna stood up and walked over to stand behind her Imzadi, placing her hands of his shoulders. "He means nothing with it. It's just his way of doing." 

"Sensed that?" 

"Yes. And I talked with Hermione. She told me it was his way of doing. Don't feel threatened by him." 

"You like him, don't you?" 

"What do you mean with like? Like in the way I like a friend? Yes, that's true. Just like I like Geordi, Data, even Beverly. Like in the way I like you? Absolutely not. We're Imzadi, Will. Don't forget that. Okay?" 

"Okay… Sorry I doubted you so much." Will stood up and turned around. He closed the dark-haired woman in his arms. 

***

Hermione looked up from her parchment. It was the second time she heard something like a moan.

She quickly screwed the cap on her ink pot and rolled up her scrolls. Then she stood up and walked over to the bedroom. She opened the door and tiptoed over to the bed. Sirius was tossing and turning in his sleep, obviously in a nightmare.

Hermione hesitated for a few moments, then stood at his bedside and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sirius, wake up." She gave him a soft shake. "Sirius!" She gave him a firmer shake.

After a few tries Sirius woke up with a start. He sat up, arm flailing around him. One first caught Hermione in the eye. Hermione's hand flew towards her eye, but she held her other hand on Sirius' shoulder. 

"Easy. It was only a nightmare…" Hermione continued talking with a soothing voice and slowly Sirius' breathing calmed down. 

Finally he looked at her. "Hermione?" 

"You okay again?" 

"For so far it goes." He studied her for a second. "What happened to your eye?" 

"You hit it. It doesn't hurt." 

"Let me see. Computer, raise lights."  

The light went on and Sirius pulled her hand away. He looked for a few seconds. "That looks okay." 

"It already stopped hurting… Are you okay?" 

Sirius had bowed his head and Hermione saw something glistering on his cheek. "What's wrong?" 

Hermione sat back when the tears turned into sobs.

***

Hermione was perplexed. She had seen this man furious, even murderous. She had seen him scared; she had even seen him quite happy. But she had never seen him crying. 

She didn't know so well what to do. She had comforted Ginny more than one time and they simply hugged each other. The few times she had 'counseled' Harry and Ron she also just hugged them. But this felt a little bit different to her. 

But her instincts took over. She sat down on the edge of the bed, placed her arms around him and pulled him closer. It didn't matter that he was the godfather of on of her best friends. He was just a fellow warrior and friend who needed comfort. 

***

"Sorry Hermione. It wasn't my meaning to break down and to throw that in your lap."  

"Stop right there, Sirius. It's not the first time I see some one 'break down' as you call it. I have talked to Ginny more then once and the same even goes for Harry and Ron. I know you usually go to Remus back home, but that's a bit difficult here." Hermione's voice was gentle and soft.  

Sirius looked at her, but didn't say anything. 

"You should talk to someone. Shared pain is lighter to bear. That's at least what a wise person told me once. And I found out this is often true. I don't think I am the best person to share your pain with, but if you want that you know where to find me." 

"Sometimes I wonder why your animagus form is not an owl. You're wise beyond your years." 

"I have no idea." 

"Then I remember that I do know that. You're not only wise. But you carry a warrior's spirit inside of you." 

"I wonder how many people see the wise one inside you. It's hidden under all those layers of boyishness, pranks and everything else, but it's certainly there." 

They were silent for a few moments, but suddenly Sirius stomach rumbled. Both laughed. 

"Well, shall I fetch something to eat for you? Doctor Crusher said something about just some light meals, though."

"I would like a bowl of tomato soup." 

"Okay, one bowl of tomato soup, coming up."  


	13. Trouble back home

Chapter 13

Trouble back home

"Okay, the spell is Mutari followed by the metal. Who could name some of these metals for me?"  

"Aurem for gold, Professor." Ernie MacMillan said

"Argentem… for… silver." Neville spoke hesitating, earning a nod and small smile. 

"Ferrum for iron." Lisa Turpin answered.

"Plumbum for lead." Seamus was the last to speak.   

The sixth-year Ravenclaw and Gryffindor students named several Latin names of metals. After that they paired up and started practicing the spell on each. The girls used more the gold and silver way, while the boy's favorite was lead. 

Parvati aimed her wand at Lavender and focused when a wave of pain occupied her mind. Images followed soon. She let go of her wand and fell to her knees, pressing her hands to her temples. From the corner of her eye she saw Lavender do the same. 

***

Minerva McGonagall walked over to girls who had fallen on their knees when both started to speak. 

"No, professor. Don't do that. Don't hurt the little girl. Please don't. This isn't you. Professor, stop!" Parvati kept begging the unknown professor to stop whatever he or she was doing. "Don't… don't use Crucio…no!" The girl shook and cried, still crying out her pleas. 

Lavender however was crying something else. "Hermione, watch out for the knife. He is behind you. Ron, help her. Well done…" She yelled a few more encouragements, but then she cried full pain. "No! Behind you… Don't die. Please don't die. Harry needs you. Ginny, please help him." 

Suddenly both girls fell silent. A white light surrounded them and they lifted of the floor. 

"The snake is powerful." They said together. "But it will be defeated. By…"

"Earth…"

"Water…"

"Fire…" 

"Air…"

"Soul..."

"Body…"

"Spirit…" 

"And Mind…" 

Then the young women spoke together. "Daktor tsu't kavisha ney.  Daktor ami-ah voneh hai."  

The white light disappeared and both women fell on the ground unconscious.    

***

Padma saw her twin sister falling to her knees from the corner of her eyes. She lowered her wand and listened and watched with wide open eyes what was happening. 

When the white light disappeared and her sister and friend felt on the ground, she hurried towards them and kneeled down besides them. 

She had chosen the Healing magic course and she was asked to become a medic on the Hogwarts Defense Force, so she had already had some medical training. Using this training, she quickly checked their vital signs. 

Professor McGonagall had kneeled down besides her. "Miss Brucklehorst, get Madam Pomfrey. Mr. Thomas, Professor Dumbledore. Just get them. Don't tell anyone what happened. Everyone else remains here." Then she looked at the Asian girl. 

Padma understood the unspoken question. "They are unconscious, but their vital signs are strong."  Then she removed the ties and opened the two top buttons of the blouses to free the airways. 

McGonagall nodded and both silently kept guard over the two girls until Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore hurried in.

***

"The training of the Hogwarts Defense Force is going well. We have started forming the special groups and the others are divided in units." McGonagall reported and gave more details. 

"That indeed sounds good. I have finished ideas for the uniforms. Blue trousers, white shirts and black robes with belt and wand holsters. And insignias for the different groups. Monday we're switching to them. Harry, Ron and Hermione keep the order uniforms and I think Ginny can keep hers." 

"We also have started a kind of defense training for the third and four years. They are learning a number of defensive spells they can use in emergencies. We organize it in the form of a dueling club. First and second years are trained what to do of an attack. Also first to fourth years get some basic medical training."   

"That should work out next year. Then they will have a basis. And my talk with Fudge had success. The members of the Hogwarts Defense Force will be excluded from the Ban on Underage Magic… Minerva, what happened today in your class?" Alastor Moody asked. 

"You know about the dreams of Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown. Today they had very violent visions. Miss Patil was begging a professor to stop something. Apparently this person was torturing a child. Miss Brown saw something that happened to our missing members. Hermione was in knife fight and something happened to Sirius I think, for Lavender begged Ginny to do something. After that white light appeared, they lifted into the air and they said something." Minerva closed her eyes and recited: "The snake is powerful. But it will be defeated. By… Earth…Water…Fire…Air…Soul...Body…Spirit…and Mind. Daktor tsu't kavisha ney.  Daktor ami-ah voneh hai." Minerva opened her eyes again. "They are both still unconscious in the hospital wing."   

"I think it's safe to say that the last part was about defeating Voldemort. I have been trying to find out what 'Daktor tsu't kavisha ney. Daktor ami-ah voneh hai' means the whole after-noon, but I haven't had any luck yet." Remus said.   

"Continue your work, Remus. Report as soon as you have found something." Dumbledore said. 

"There is something else about this. Padma Patil came to me today, since Fillius wasn't available. She demands to know what is going with her sister. She was very insistent." 

"We should tell her the truth, if she promises not to talk about it to anyone. But not without Parvati's consent." Dumbledore spoke. Then he looked over at Severus Snape. "Severus, are you ready for tonight? Minerva is going with you as backup." 

Both professors nodded. "We have prepared everything." 

"Then we can close this meeting. Anyone something else?" 

"Actually, I do." Arthur Weasley spoke up. "This morning I was presented at breakfast with a group of insisted young men and women. Some names are Fred and George Weasley, Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, Oliver Wood, Lee Jordan, Angelina Johnson, Penelope Clearwater and Eloise Midgen. They have heard about the Hogwarts Defense Force and want to be trained also. But they had no interest in joining the Ministry."

It was silent for a few moments. 

Then Dumbledore spoke. "We can use all the people we can get. Actually, we should have expected something like this. Alastor, could you work out some ideas for this group?"

Alastor nodded and Dumbledore closed the meeting. 

***

Slytherin common rooms were empty. Students were in their classes. Except for one. 

Blond hair and a narrow face gleamed in the light of the fire. A soft blue force field pulsed in front of the entrance, stopping anyone from entering.

"Something is going on, father. I am telling you. The Gryfs Patil and Brown collapsed today in transfiguration. There are all kinds of rumors. But the people who were present are all keeping silent. While some of the people present are some of the most gossipy of the school."

The head in the fire place was the head of Lucius Malfoy. The rumors went he was Voldemort's right hand. "For once you might haven given some useful information. Collect all the rumors. Find out more. Don't disgrace the Malfoy line!" 

Draco raised his eyebrow. "Yes sir." 

"However… when you work is rewarding, the Dark Lord might consider giving you one of the greatest honors." 

"I would give him my deepest gratitude."   

***

"Miss Patil, I insist you leave. My patients must rest. And even you should rest. It's four o'clock in the night." It wasn't Madam Pomfrey first attempt to get her out of the hospital wing, but Padma had remained very stubborn, even with already a week of detentions.  

"Madam Pomfrey, Lavender and Parvati are the only ones here. They have been unconscious since they have been brought here. I don't disturb them by just sitting here. And when I am tired, I will sleep here, in this chair. I am not leaving my sister alone." Padma supported her words by standing up, transfiguring the hard wooden chair in a comfortable leather seat, taking a blanket and settling down again with the blanket over her legs.     

"Miss Patil…" 

"Leave her, Poppy. She isn't doing anything wrong. Her detentions will be dropped also." Dumbledore voice sounded. 

The women turned their head to the headmaster that came marching in with large steps. 

"Poppy, I need to speak with Miss Patil." 

"Yes Headmaster." Poppy disappeared, grumbling about how she should care for her patients if everyone neglected her advice. 

Dumbledore sat down besides the young woman. "How are they doing?" 

Padma shrugged. "They still are both unconscious. There hasn't been any change since they were brought here… Professor, what is going on with my sister?" 

"Professor Lupin told me you asked him that. I am afraid I can't tell you anything without having discussed that with your sister. But what do you know?" 

"I know she has been having predicting dreams. And that Lavender also has been having the same kind of dreams. But I don't know about what. I have been doing some research. Does what happened mean she is a Seer? And Lavender too?" She showed him the book besides her, Study of Divination: who Sees by Cassandra Vablatsky.  

"You certainly have been doing your research. The Ravenclaw spirit?" 

"Perhaps. Professor, again, does this mean she is a Seer?" 

"We can't say anything on this moment. But it's possible." 

"I know the dreams mean is she a Clairvoyant. Perhaps even a Diviner." 

"Have you told your sister about your research?" 

"Parvati and Lavender know. We have been researching with the three of us."     

"Then I can tell you this. Parvati and Lavender are indeed at least Clairvoyants, Padma. And they have a talent with divination techniques, so almost sure Diviners. But even Clairvoyants and Diviners have an occasional violent vision." 

"Thanks for the explanation, Headmaster." A soft voice besides them spoke. 

Both looked to their left. Parvati was looking at them with open eyes, leaning on her elbow.

"Parvati! Are… Do you…?"

Parvati held up her hand. "I am fine, Padma. At least when I know what happened." 

"That's what I would like to know too." Another voice sounded. 

Everyone looked tot the right to see Lavender looking at them. She was still lying down, but open eyes. 

Dumbledore smiled at the two young women. "It's good to see awake. Padma, please fetch Madame Pomfrey." 

***

When Padma returned with Madam Pomfrey, both Parvati and Lavender were sitting up, with pillows in their back. Both were firing questions at Professor Dumbledore. 

Madam Pomfrey hurried over to her patients and started checking them over. Padma and Dumbledore took their seats, waiting till she was finished. 

When the medi-witch was finished, Dumbledore spoke. "Do you remember what you saw?" 

Both Parvati and Lavender frowned, but then nodded. 

"Their was an attack around the place where Harry and everyone ended up. I saw Hermione in a knife fight. And… Harry's godfather was seriously hurt." 

"What did you see, Parvati?"

"I don't want to tell." 

"Parvati…" Dumbledore talked to her gently. 

But finally when it looked like she wanted to talk, Remus came hurrying in. Two stretchers floated behind them.     

Madam Pomfrey quickly went over to him. She threw one look at the stretchers, then called: "Miss Patil!" 

Padma hurried over, also shocked when she saw the occupants of the stretchers. At Madam Pomfrey's orders she started to help.

***

Minerva McGonagall crept over to the abandoned manor. Severus was inside, at a meeting of Voldemort. 

Their mission was to obtain a certain scroll with spells. Severus had to get it without being discovered and she would be smuggling it back to Hogwarts. 

Her thoughts jumped a bit. People might think she was an odd choice to support Severus on a mission like this. But she had two things that were very handy. One, she was a cat animagus, so she could come closely to the house without being noticed. And the second was a fact that almost nobody knew. Her parents had been Aurors and she had also done the Auror training when she had left Hogwarts. She had even worked in the field for few years when Albus had approached her to become a teaching assistant. She decided to try it out and had worked as teacher since then. But that hadden't meant that she had let her skills atrophy. 

She glanced at her watch, seeing it was eleven o'clock. Quickly she transformed, tippling to the house. 

***

Severus hurried trough the dark hallways of the abandoned manor. It had taken quite some trouble before he could escape from the meeting. 

Finally he arrived at the designated door. Quickly he glanced over his shoulder and seeing no one, he entered. 

Inside he quickly glanced over the cabinets with scrolls, then grabbed the correct one. He walked back to the door and peeked outside. Seeing no one he transformed into his bat form, carrying the scroll in his claws. 

He didn't see the dark figure following him. 

***

The cat tippled over the bat, quickly taking the scroll into her mouth. She seemed to nod and wanted to run away. 

Only then bright light filled the area. A high cackling laugh filled the area.

The bat and the cat glanced at each other with despair in their eyes. 

"Animagi reverso." the same high voice cried.

Minerva and Severus took their own shapes. To their credit they had their wands out in seconds and started throwing curses immediately.

But how valiant they fought, how skilled they both were, in the end it wasn't enough. They were subdued by the much larger number of Death Eaters and laid stunned on the ground.   

***

Severus was fighting trough fog to wake up. When he opened his eyes he immediately recog-nized his surroundings and cursed inwardly. 

He was hanging in chains by his wrists. Glancing at his side he also saw his collogue hanging besides him. 

"Why am I not surprised to see you hanging here, Severus? I should have known that you were the spy." 

Severus glanced to the other side to see the red piercing eyes of Voldemort. Suddenly he heard Minerva moaning on his side. Severus looked back to woman besides him. 

Minerva looked up and glanced around. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw Voldemort, but further she didn't show anything on the outside.

Voldemort stalked over to Transfigurations professor. "Hello Minerva." 

Minerva raised her head. "Tom Riddle..." Hate, but also disgust was clear in her voice. 

"I am the Dark Lord, Minerva… But I think this is a lesson that I will have to teach you the hard way. Crucio!" 

The woman screamed, twitching in her chains. 

Severus bit his lip, to stop him from crying out in anger. "Leave her. Just take me, Voldemort." he cried after what felt like hours. 

Voldemort looked at him. He just let the curse on McGonagall for a few more moments, but then removed the curse. "So, you are willing to take her place. Well, if you want. I will deal with you later." the last was directed to Minerva.       

Minerva managed to raise her head, despite the fact that the chains were the only thing to keep her standing and that she was panting hard. Severus nodded at her and mouthed something like: "I have gone trough this before." 

This time male screams filled the small room.  

***

This went on for more than an hour. Changing turns McGonagall and Snape were subjected to the Cruciatus curse and several other painful curses. 

Finally several Death Eaters entered and Voldemort stepped away. "I have had my fun. Your turn." 

Three figures unchained Snape and dragged him to the next room. Two others brought a little girl with a frightened look on her face in this cell. 

Voldemort left the cell: "Have fun. But keep them alive. And at half three, dump them outside Hogwarts gate." Smiling he walked trough the hallway, shrill screams echoing behind him. 

***

 Padma directed the two stretchers to the exam table and levitated her two teachers over to the exam tables, while Pomfrey hurried to her office to gather her stuff. 

"Where did you found them, Remus?" Dumbledore asked, worry clear in his voice. 

"Just outside the gate… Albus, they are playing with us. Why else would they have… treated them as they did and dump them by the gate?" 

"I must agree with you. Call everyone from the order together." Dumbledore ordered. 

Remus nodded and quickly left the hospital wing. 

Dumbledore turned back to look at Parvati. She was busy checking their vitals signs and also making sure their airways were clear. 

She looked up when Madame Pomfrey hastily walked over to them. At the questioning look, she said: "They are both unconscious. Breathing is slightly labored, heartbeat is quite fast." 

Madam Pomfrey quickly started to check them out thoroughly, while Padma arranged the things Madame Pomfrey had brought with her. 

When she finished, both she and Padma took the disinfectant and Padma started to work Minerva, while Pomfrey took Severus, both cleaning and healing the various cuts on their faces.

"Poppy?" Dumbledore asked softly. 

"Both have been subjected to Cruciatus several times. Add a number of other 'nice' curses with caused the most damage on Professor McGonagall and some physical violence to Professor Snape." 

When Padma was finished, Pomfrey sent her to prepare two separate rooms. She in the meantime poured a number of potions into the troths of the unconscious professors. She also gave some more detailed info about the injuries she had found. 

Remus entered, and he and Albus quickly left to go the meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. Poppy quickly finished up and made sure both professors were tucked safely in their beds. 

Padma had sat down in the chair she had transfigured. Her sister and friend had longtime fallen back to sleep. She leaned back and closed her eyes for a second. 

When Poppy entered a few minutes later she saw her young assistant sleeping soundly. And despite her mostly very strict demeanor a small smile played around her lips. She levitated the young woman in the bed besides her sister and carefully pulled the blankets around. 

When she was at the door, she dimmed the lights and went to get some rest herself.     

***

Next morning Remus was paging trough one of his books about time travel, when his eyes caught something. 

"Of course. That we haven't seen that before." he exclaimed.   

He read again trough the information, checked several references in various other books and then hurried towards Dumbledore's office. 

  
  
***

Madam Pomfrey was up early that morning, despite the late hour she gone to sleep last night. But that was something she was used to and she could work with very little sleep.

At first she woke Padma and sent her to get cleaned up and to eat some breakfast. The two other girls were left sleeping. If they were fit enough she could eventually follow some afternoon classes. 

She then checked on Severus and Minerva who were still asleep. 

Silently, carefully not to wake the Gryffindor women, she walked around, setting things ready for day.  

She was however not surprised when the two girls woke up quite quickly. She carefully checked them out, then summoned a house elf to get some breakfast. "After breakfast you will be released. Take this morning of. Professor Dumbledore wanted to see the both of you. If you feel up to it, you're allowed to attend the afternoon classes." 

The house elf arrived with two trays and both girls started breakfast. Madam Pomfrey started to continue her work, when Parvati asked: "How are Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall?" 

The medi-witch turned around, a small smile on her face. "They will be fine." 

***

Later that day both Severus and Minerva woke up. Severus was tired, but completely coherent. 

But Minerva… Physically she was recovering nicely. But mentally was a very different case. She didn't respond to any questions, didn't move or react in any other ways. She just stared before her, her face not showing anything. The only sign of emotion she showed was the occasional tear that slit over her face.   

Poppy didn't hesitate to call Dumbledore over to the hospital wing for to inform him of the situation. When he arrived they sat down in her office. 

"Professor Snape is recovering very well. Professor McGonagall is recovering well physically, but she is in a shock. She isn't reacting to anything." 

"Is this because of the Crusiatus?" 

"No. But I don't know the exact cause. I have been in contact with St. Mungo's. We think it's best to keep her in familiar surroundings and to keep talking to her in the hope that will bring her out of it. But if that doesn't work, she will have to be transferred to St. Mungo's."   

Dumbledore nodded. "I will make a staff roster." 

Poppy was silent for a few moments. "Normally I wouldn't suggest something like this, but would it an idea to add some of the older of the Gryffindor students."

Dumbledore contemplated it for a few moments, then nodded. "Good idea. I will also alert her sister and some members of the Order." 

***

It was the start of a new week. Today was the first day that the new uniforms were worn. 

Breakfast went as usual, except the missing Minerva. Gryffindor was slightly subdued because of this. Professor Snape had been released, but it would be a few days before he started teaching again. 

Suddenly a blaring sound filled the Great Hall. It was chaos for a few moments, but then their came order into the chaos. 

The first and second year students quickly went to specially secured dungeon. The third and fourth years spread out to certain points inside the castle. Those placed were covered, but chosen so that they could help to defend the school somewhat. The three oldest years gathered in the hall, quickly separating into their units. 

Quickly they received their orders from teachers. The fighting groups moved out over the perimeters of Hogwarts, the student medics got their bags, unpractical brown leather bags, while the strategists and information gathers put their head together and started working on possible tactics.    

During this practice Dumbledore watched from one of the towers to his students. He wished he didn't have to do this to his students, but it was necessary. The look on his face was grim, thinking about his Deputy Headmistress, his still missing students and members of the Order of the Phoenix, the stupid actions of Cornelius Fudge. But when he saw his students his heart became a bit lighter. They would make it. 


	14. Harrasment and romance

Chapter 14

Harassment and romance

Harry was lying wide awake on his bed. His thoughts were on a certain redhead. But not the redhead snoring away on the bed besides him. 

He knew that Ginny had a crush on him in her first and second year and he didn't know how to deal with that then, but now… 

He had noticed that the little girl had grown into a very pretty, quite mature young witch. And the episode at the lake on Thule…

He had talked with Sirius a bit about how to approach a girl, but that hadden't helped much.

***

"GINNY!" 

"Yes, Mione?" 

"HELP!" 

Ginny put down the book the book she was reading and smiled. Hermione could keep telling her that it was just about being friends, but she was behaving very much like Parvati and Lavender before the Halloween ball of last year. 

When she entered the bedroom, Hermione was dressed in her green bathrobe and slippers, her hair still wet. "What's the problem, Mione?" 

"I don't know what to wear out of these two outfits." Hermione pointed at two outfits she had laid out on her bed. 

Ginny looked at them. On the bed laid a combination of a white blouse and a black velvet skirt and a blue dress in the style Counselor Troi often wore. "The blue dress." 

"You sure?" 

"You look great in that. Now, go put it on and I will pick out some things to wear with it." 

Hermione dressed herself, while Ginny dove into Hermiones trunk. Quickly she pulled out the jewelry box Hermione had and selected a pair of blue ear rings with a matching necklace. She glanced up at Hermione and also dug out a blue shawl with silvery treads. She also picked out a pair of simple black shoes.  

When she looked up again, Hermione was wearing the dress and looking at Ginny's selections with doubt. Ginny grinned. "Put on the shoes and jewelry." 

Ginny fetched her wand and cast a drying spell on Hermiones hair. Then she fastened the shawl in Hermiones hair. "How late were you supposed to meet?" 

"In ten minutes." 

"Well, then we don't have the time to put normal make-up on you. Accio book." Ginny caught the book Thousand Charms and Potions for the Young Witch in her hand. 

Suddenly the chime rang. 

"I am not ready yet."

"Pick one of the spells in there. I will get the door." She threw Hermione the book and walked over to the door, in the meantime sighing. 

"Come in." 

The door opened to show Doctor Crusher. "Hé Gin." 

"Hi Beverly. Thought you were Damien." 

"Damien?" 

"Miones date. We just had a bit of mini-crises." Ginny looked over at the door of the bedroom. "Mione! You finished?"

"Coming." 

Beverly and Ginny sat down on the couch. 

Beverly smiled. "Is she always like that with a date?" 

"No. She was just a bit exited and nervous. Were you here with a particular reason?" 

"Actually yes. Your medical training is going well and I know you have started studying some non-human physiologies… If you stay here in this time and when you are fully adapted to it… if you choose to then I would be willing to support you entrance to Starfleet Medical Academy." 

Ginny had to think about that for a few moments, but was snapped out of it when Hermione entered. 

"How do I look?" 

Ginny looked up and smiled. "You look fine, Mione. Ron would faint if he saw you." 

Hermione turned bright red. Suddenly the chime rang again. "That must be Damien." She hurried over to the door and few minutes later Ginny and Beverly were able to resume their conversation. 

***

"You're doing very well for the few talks we have had. Still taking the hypo's for the nightmares?" 

"Doctor Crusher all got us hooked up to it." 

After what Ginny had told Beverly, Beverly had gone to Deanna with Ginny's permission and told her what she had heard. Deanna had talked with each of them and convinced them to take a few counseling sessions, while Beverly gave them something for the nightmares. 

"If I would suggest to her to build of the hypospray's, how would you feel about that?" 

"I never liked medications, so I would be happy with it. But I had a slightly different question to you. Would you like to go out with me sometimes?" 

Deanna didn't know how it possibly went so fast, but suddenly Riker was in the room, grabbed Sirius at his collar and smacked his fist into his face. Sirius seemed stunned for a moment, but then he raised his own fist and the brawling was on. 

***

Ron and Harry and Beverly and Ginny had encountered each other in the hallway. Beverly and Ginny had been on their way to sickbay. Beverly had the morning of and had offered Ginny a class in the basics of lab work. 

Ron and Harry were checking the magical wards on the ship and strengthening them where necessary.  The last wards they had to check were the wards around Sickbay, so they had decided to walk up with them. 

Busily talking they didn't notice the open door to the counselor's office, until a loud crash sounded. All four looked aside and stopped still. Will Riker and Sirius Black were a dark mass on the ground and Deanna Troi was standing there with a shocked look on her face.    

Harry quickly pulled out his wand, stepped inside and cried: "Pertrificus totalus."

Both men froze instantly and Ginny, Beverly and Ron followed Harry inside. 

"What happened here?" Beverly said to Deanna. 

"I have no idea. One moment we were talking, next moment they were rolling around this way."

Ron and Harry had separated the men and levitated them on separated chairs. Ginny walked over to them and calmly checked their faces. "Just a couple of bruises." 

"Can you guys unfreeze them?  I think I have to have a long chat. Let their bruises wait for a couple of moments." Deanna said. 

Harry canceled his spell. Beverly tossed Deanna the small hand phaser she had with her. "For emergencies. Send them by Sickbay when you're finished."  

Deanna settled down with the phaser in her lap. Harry and everyone left. When the door closed behind them, Harry let out a short laugh. "I believe both are very lucky Hermione is on her date. 

***

Beverly switched of the dermal regenerator she had been using on Will. Ginny had already fixed Sirius with magic, but Will was a bit uncomfortable with that. 

Harry and Ron had peeked around the corner. Trouble with a certain ward made them figure out that some extra manpower might do the job so the had come to fetch Sirius. Now they were discussing what caused the disturbance of the ward. Ginny was listening, occasionally speaking up. 

Sudden the heads of all four snapped up. Ginny was closing her eyes. Ron and Harry were turning white and Sirius got a grim look on his face. 

First Deanna, but then also Beverly and Will looked in their direction. "What's wrong?" 

"I don't know. A strong surge of white magic. A very strong surge……… Something is wrong with Mione…" Ginny stormed out the door. 

Harry, Ron and Sirius followed her, a second later also Beverly, Deanna and Will. They followed Ginny to one of the Holodecks. 

Arrived there Ginny gave a hard kick against the door. "They used a privacy lookdown." 

"Are you sure something is wrong?" Beverly asked. 

Ginny wanted to answer, but Deanna interrupted. "Use your override. What I sense I don't know, but it isn't pretty." 

"Computer, override privacy lock. Authorization Crusher-Beta-Seven-Teen." 

The computer blipped affirmatively and the doors opened. It revealed a luxurious restaurant, but it was in shreds. At first sight nor Hermione, nor Damian were visible. All seven stepped inside, looking around in shock. Deanna was the first who spotted them.

Damien was lying on the ground, moaning. A Kneazle the size of the tiger was passing at his feet.      

Beverly and Ginny kneeled down at the side of Damien. At their approach the Kneazle ran away and hid in a corner. 

"She is very scared."  Deanna said softly. 

"What happened here? Where is Hermione?" Will asked. 

Harry pulled out his wand. "Relevatio." The whole room lighted up in blue light and returned to his old state. Then a tornado ripped trough the room, returning the room to a state they had found it in. "He did something  to hurt her.  The fag hurt her." Harry growled. 

"What spell did she use? You never told me about something like that."

"She used her own version of Harry's Fire Storm. It called Air Force. Aether potestas." Sirius explained softly. 

"And she attacked him in her Kneazle form. He has claw scratches on several parts of his body." Ginny called from where she was assisting Beverly. 

"Is that cat Hermione?" Will asked. 

Ron nodded. "It's Animagus form." Ron slowly started to walk to Hermione. She only backed away. 

"This isn't going to work, Ron." Sirius declared. 

"Well, then we try this." A pop sounded and in Ron's place stood a griffin. He walked over to the smaller cat. Mione only growled and took an attack pose. Ron simply stood stoically and   started purring. Gradually Mione lost her attack pose and started to make soft sad-sounding noises. Ron padded over to him and softly licked her head. Both remained that way for a few moments. 

Suddenly a pop sounded and Hermione took her human shape. Ron followed her example and held her when she started to cry. 

In the meantime Harry had been looking with hatred in his eyes to the inert form of Damien Baker on the ground. Beverly and Ginny were checking him out. Sirius had placed a hand on his shoulder as if to restrain him.  

"Gin, will you arrange transport for him to sickbay? I will check on Hermione." Beverly asked. When she saw Ginny move to tap her com-badge, she walked over to Ron. "Ron?" 

Ron looked up. "Yes?" 

"I want to get her to sickbay. She needs to be checked out." she said softly.

Ron nodded and looked down on the crying young woman. After a moment he put his arm under his knees and lifted her up. "Ready to go." he simply stated.  

***

Harry looked up when Ginny entered Ron' and his quarters. Seeing her pale face he stood up and sat her down on the couch. "You okay?" Harry suddenly thought of something. "Is something wrong with Hermione?" 

"Physically she is fine. She was quite bruised, but the dermal regenerator took care of that. He didn't get a chance to do much. She is sleeping now in one of the side rooms… That bastard was worse. Hermione scratched him pretty badly. Caused some internal damage, but he will recover… I am more worried how about this will effect her psychologically. There is something…" 

"She is strong. She will get trough it. We are all here to help."  Harry consoled her. 

"Perhaps… where is Ron?" Ginny looked around. 

"At the Holodeck. Sirius took him there to stop him from attacking Damien." 

"Why am I not surprised?" Ginny rolled her shoulders and winced. 

"What's wrong?" 

"My muscles hurt."

Harry gestured her to lean back against the couch and he stepped behind it. Carefully he placed his hands on her shoulders and started kneeding them. 

Ginny sighed as the tension in her shoulders dissolved. "That feels góóóóóóóóód." She exclaimed.    

"Glad you like it." Harry continued until her muscles were compeltely relaxed, then sat down besides her. "Ginny… I know this isn't the best time... but…"

"What is it, Harry?" 

"Well… would…you … liketogoonadatewithme?" 

Ginny laughed softly. "I don't speak gibberish. Could you repeat that?" 

"Would you like to go a date  with me?" 

Ginny's face lit up. "I would love it." 

***

Hermione lay on her biobed, tears flowing over her face. She couldn't believe that it happened again. Again a guy had done things against her will. And again she hadn't been able to forsee it.

"Hermione?" A soft female voice asked. 

Hermione looked in the direction of the door. "Counselor." 

The dark-haired woman entered and sat down on a chair besides the biobed. "How are you feeling?" 

"What do think? You're the empath." Hermione spat out. Suddenly she blushed. "Sorry." 

"It doesn't matter. I rather have you tell me." 

"I am mad…" 

"On Damien?" 

"Among others. But mostly on myself." 

"Why?" 

"Because I let myself be fooled again. Again by a guy." Hermione sighed. 

"What do mean with again?"

Hermione closed her eyes, remembering. A few seconds later she opened them again and looked directly in the eyes of Deanna. 

"I only talked wit Ginny about this and then only once... In my fourth year at Hogwarts we had the Triwizard Tournament. Harry participated in that. And I became a couple with one of the other participants, Victor Krum. At Hogwarts everything was fine and we decided I would come to Bulgaria for a few days. My parents agreed and I went to Bulgaria. The first two days everything was fine, but then he wanted more from me. I think you can guess what. I managed to hold him off for two or three days, but when we were taking a walk, he attacked me… He didn't get very far. I managed to knee him where it counts, clobbered him on the head with a thick branch and ran away. I returned home by floo that evening, telling everyone that me and Victor had a big fight."      

"And what happened today reminded you of Viktor?" 

Hermione nodded. "And I snapped… Will Damien be okay?" 

"From what Doctor Crusher told me he will be fine. He is on the brig now." 

"What's going to happen to him?"  

"He will be questioned. And what happens after that, depends on many things." 

***

Riker stared at Cadet lying on the cot in the brig and shook his head. 

The young man before him had been a very promising young officer and now this… He nodded at the security officer on duty to lower the force field. 

Damien turned his head to look at the man that stepped inside, looked for a few seconds, then turned away. 

"Can you sit up?" Riker asked. 

Damien looked at him again and nodded. 

"Sit up then as a supirior speaks to you." He said strictly. 

The Cadet strugled to sit up and then looked at him. 

Riker nodded curtly. "Then perhaps you can explain to me what happened to get you in this state." 

"I don't know. Miss Granger freaked, created a kind of tornado and I stuck my head. Suddenly I saw a tigerlike creature jumping at me and then everything became black." 

"That's not quite what we heard from Miss Granger." 

"Well, she is high and mightly with her magic."

"What do yo mean with that? If you are implying she is lying… Counselor Troi took her statement." 

"We had a few of dates, I treated her well and took her out. After some time a lad should expect some action from his lass." 

Riker suddenly understood what had happened. "And could I say you decided to take what you deserved acccoording to you?"  

Damien shrugged and layed down again.

"I see. You will hear more later." 

***

"What?! If we go home before charges are brought, the charges are automaticly dropped." Sirius exclaimed. 

"Well, the charges would probably be dropped because there is no victim anymore to press charges." Picard replied. 

There was a small private meeting, with Picard, Deanna, Riker and Sirius. Harry and Ginny were on a date, while Hermione was sleeping in her quarters with Ron staying there, working on some transfiguration. So Sirius was left to attent the meeting.   

"There is already a report to the Starfleet JAG. We have Miss Granger her statement. I think we could get a confession from Damien Baker…" Riker summed up. 

Deanna was lost in thought. "Hermione is declared of age. She could appoint someone to press charges…" she mused. 

"That could be a way." Picard said. 

Sirius however thought about something else. "What do you mean 'of age'?" 

"That's a message we haven't really have the chance to discuss. Under normal law Mr. Potter, Mr. and Miss Weasley and Miss Granger wouldn't be legally adults. However, after the Counselor's psychological examenation they are declared of age. If they stayed here and they wouldn't be declared adults, they would need guardians and those are difficult to find with their wizard background. We also have discussed you being here, but the case was that you would have enough adjusting of your own to do. Of course, there would always be someone availeble for advise and counsel." Picard explained. 

"We didn't think of this. I received an order to judge if they would be able to take the responsibility. My answer was yes. So they were declared of age. But it makes Hermiones case easier to solve. Because Hermione is legally of age and we have her statement, she can chose someone to represent her, even if she isn't in our dimension anymore." Deanna added. 

"We don't know how long it might take for you to get home, but it seems to me that it would be the best plan of action to discuss this with Miss Granger and that we should have a confession of Damien Baker." Riker contributed. 

All the others agreed, but Sirius thought of something else. "Wouldn't Baker be able to charge her for attacking him?" 

The three others considered this. Picard was the first to reply. "It's possible. But it was selfdefense and if her confesses…" 

"Hermione has told me some circumstances, which also could help. But before I disclose those I would have to discuss that with her." 

"Do that. Talk also about appointing someone. I will handle Baker." Riker said. 

Deanna nodded, Picard agreed and Sirius did the same. 

***

The minds of Harry and Ginny weren't at the return home at the moment. They were at the marvelous landscape. 

Harry had chosen for a program on the Holodeck for a ride with horse and weagon. In the back was a large picknick basket. On the front was a driver, steering them through the landscape. 

Ginny was wearing a long wide deep blue skirt, with a light blue blouse and a sun hat with flowing ribbons. Harry was in black pants and also a deep blue shirt. 

Riding through the grassy meadow's and trees Harry tentativly placed his arms around Ginny's shoulders. Ginny looked up at him and smiled, leaning into him. 

All too soon they arrived on a grassy meadow. The coach driver jumped down, assisted Ginny with leaving the coach and spread out the plaid on the grass. He also put out the food. Then he dissappeared in the trees. 

Both filled their plates. 

"Have you ever given it some thought what you're going to do if we are stuck here?" Ginny asked. 

"Not really. Voldemort is still here. First we have to do deal with that. And you?"

"Hé, I thought that we had agreed: no Voldemort… But I have thought about it. When I am fully adjusted to everything, I am going to Starfleet Medical. Beverly has offered to support my entrance." 

The talking turned into a light chatter, until Ginny presented him with the question. "Why suddenly this date?" 

And Harry didn't know what to reply… "Well…uh…I like you, Gin. You're special."

"And I wasn't special before?" Ginny sat with a little smile of her face.  

"Of course you were special. I only realised how special a little while ago." 

"Have you ever been on a date before, Harry?" 

"Not really, unless you count Parvati with the Yule Ball and escorting you or Hermione to those receptions." 

"Me neither. And what should we do after a picknick and a ride on a first date?"

"Well, on movies either an angry father chases the boy away or… the first kiss." 

"We could have the first version with a big brother, but… I think I prefer the second." With those words Ginny leaned forward, touching Harry's lips in a tentative kiss. 

Harry was shocked at first, but quickly reacted and returned the kiss. 

Ginny let go a few moments later. "That was great." 

"Let's do it again." And again their lips met. 

***

Ron looked up from Advanced Transfiguration when he heard the paddle of cautious foot-steps. 

"Ron?"

In the door opening Hermione was standing, dressed in a white nightgown and her green bathrobe and slippers. 

"What's wrong, Mione?" 

"Sleep wouldn't come. Would you mind if I join you for just a bit?" 

"Of course not." 

Hermione sat down on the chair besides him. "What are you working on?" 

"Just some theory on how to transfigure humans into animals. Doesn't seep in so well." Ron said. 

Hermione pulled the book towards her. "Let's me see." 

Ron shook his head. "The doctor's order for you was to get some rest. Transfiguration doesn't count as rest in my eyes." 

"Like you always follow doctor's orders." Hermione shot back. 

"Myself is another matter then the woman I l…" Ron shut his mouth quickly.    

But Hermione didn't seem to have heard the last of his words. 

Ron placed a hand on hers. "Why couldn't you sleep?" 

"What do you think? Nightmares!" Hermione spat out. "Like always, stupid, fucking night-mares that wouldn't leave me alone." 

Ron stared. He had never heard Hermione use the f-word. When she was angry she occasionally said damn, but never the f-word. He left transfiguration for what it was and guided Hermione to the couch. "Want to talk about it?" 

Hermione unwillingly smiled a little. How much Ron had changed... Sure, he could still be an idiot now and then, but somewhere between the middle of the fifth year and last summer Ron had become a man, mature and reasonably responsible. Someone whom she could really trust. Someone who she could really… Quickly Hermione steered her thoughts away from that. "Maybe you can explain something to me?" 

"What?" 

"What is it with men and them wanting something from a woman when they have been together for a while?" 

"What do mean with something?" 

Hermione didn't speak and suddenly Ron understood what she meant. "I don't know. We are not all like that." 

Hermione snorted. "Well, then it must be something about me that I attract this kind of men?" 

"What do you… You mean Krum tried the same?" Ron stared at her open-mouthed. 

Hermione bit her lip, but nodded slowly. "That was the big fight we had. I could fend him of and I fled…" 

"Why did you never tell this?" 

"Why?" Hermoine looked forward, eyes unseeing. "Good-Hermione-know-it-all couldn't even see through a man with such intentions…" 

"Mione, look at me." Ron turned Hermiones head to look at him. "You know that isn't true, don't you?" 

"Ginny said the same. But Ron, yes, I know it." Hermione yawned. 

Ron smiled gently. "Let's get you back into bed."

Hermione protested, but her eyes were already dropping. Ron lifted her simply and carried her to the bedroom. Arrived there he pulled the slippers of her feet, but the robe he left on. Gently he pulled the sheets over her. 

When he wanted to rise, Hermione mumbled: "You know I love you, don't you?" 

"I know. And you know I love." He softly kissed her on her fore head.

No words needed to be spoken to know what they  meant for each other.


End file.
